Odyssey 2185
by Gray Spectre Warden Boom
Summary: I've really got a screwed up life now... I mean now I'm workin' for Cerberus and doing TIM's dirty work. Man, Shepard really needs to wake up... and I really miss Tali... Sequel to Odyssey 2184. SI. Follows ME2 storyline.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: The moment you all (excluding the people who accidentally clicked this link) have been waiting for... well the people who put me on their author's alert list. Odyssey 2185. **

**You know the drill read the first two stories and play the game... trust me it helps. Also I don't own Mass Effect I only own my OCs and small pieces of plot inserted into the supremely awesome ME story. **

**Should I put a speech here... wait you can't answer.**

**Fine an opening statement. **

**On to Life **

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**Ch. 1**

**The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool.**

**Author: Jane Wagner**

I was trying for the billionth time in the last six months to access the Extranet. The Illusive Man somehow always had me jammed no matter what terminal I tried to use. So I haven't been able to see any of Tali's responses to my message and subsequent disappearance or been able to tell her that I'm ok. TIM (The Illusive Man) was really starting to piss me off.

"You'd think after so long you'd give up," Helen remarks at my frustration.

I glare at her, she wasn't as nice as I had originally thought . . . she had been acting, just like . . . I shake the thoughts away, for they were inevitably followed by misty eyes and I'm gonna make sure TIM's people never see any sign of weakness.

"I'll never give up on Tali," I respond through gritted teeth.

"He's isolating you for a reason," Helen responds, she crosses her arms and that movement draws my attention to her armor. It was ridiculous it looked like the basic armor your Shepard started out with . . . just bubble-gum pink, with a Cerberus logo on the right side of her chest.

I was still wearing the armor the Owner had left for me on that base, cloak cowl the armor was thicker in the chest, my shins and the one forearm sleeve. It was made to fit me perfectly . . . I had to believe it was mine, it fit perfectly and even had a seal that matched one on my arm allowing it to go EVA. Why all these upgrades? Did he think I'd see the error of my ways? Well I'm not . . . if that wasn't obvious by now.

"I know why he's isolating me," I say slightly defeated but still trying. Any messages to Tali would be traced back to me and I'd have to move . . . but so what. "I miss her damn it," I shout smashing the terminal.

"Forget about the suited . . . "

I spin and lift her off the ground, "I don't hit women, but your pushing it," I growl. It's not fair I finally choose that I want Tali, only Tali, and I can't even tell her because of these bastards.

"Let me go," she orders. I drop her roughly . . . At least I didn't hit her. Seriously, my patience is wearing thin, six months of this Cerberus shit. Making me do all these missions, training me . . . ok I was fine with the training, though I still haven't learned how to fight up close . . . and they're doing experiment on me! Sure they were pretty non invasive just taking samples and scanning me . . . but after you escape from a lab you kinda hate going back.

"What do you see in her she's not even human," Helen asks. God I hate Helen now, she never shuts up about how Tali's an alien I was a human blah da freakin blah . . .

"She's kind," I answer, "selfless, and will probably kill me for not talking to her for six months!" I start on a new terminal trying to out-hack whoever was blocking me. I'd gotten quite good after a couple hours a day for six months of practice. "Especially if she finds out I'm working with you people . . . even if it is against my will."

"You're free to quit whenever you want," she answers.

"Yeah then the bogeymen keeping the Owner off me disappear," I respond not looking away from the computer. My typing speed was still a little awkward but it wasn't as bad as it was when I was starting.

"If you get a message through to your girlfriend," she spits out the word 'girlfriend.' "Then your protection will disappear. "He's kept the Owner away from you using misdirection, but he won't go into an all out war for you."

I realize I've known this all along, I've been like a dog chasing a car . . . I don't know what I'd do if I caught it. I fall to my knees, and sob. Screw keeping a strong face, "I miss her . . . "

She sighs, and kneels down next to me, "sh . . . I know." She tries to comfort me. "Now cut it out you're making a scene."

I regain my composure, can't draw too much attention. "Right, let's go."

We had a mission here, on Illium. A Cerberus operative had gone missing suddenly and we were going to check it out. We were TIM's goto people. I've been to nearly a dozen secret projects that if I told anyone about them they'd disappear the next day, met with hundreds of contacts, and been in more firefights than when I was with Shepard. I've gotten pretty good at this secret agent stuff. I'd trade it all away for a week alone anywhere in the galaxy with Tali . . . you know how they say absence makes the heart grow fonder, it seems to be true in my case.

Back to the mission. We hailed a cab, and I get a much better look at the Illium skyline. You couldn't get a good view of the horizon in any direction as the massive towers stretched high in the sky . . . it kind of reminded me of Coruscant in Star wars. We merge into the heavy traffic. Helen of course was driving. "Why's this guy important enough to send us to find him," I ask.

"He was gathering information the Illusive Man wants," she answers.

"On?"

"You know better than that," she answers.

"Right . . . " Don't ask, just shut up and do your job. It sucks being curious in a secret organization.

I watch the vehicles fly by outside my window. Man another thing that sucks is there are not punch bugs in the Mass Effect universe.

We finally set down near an apartment complex. Various species walk in and out of the building. I spot a quarian and my heart jumps for a millisecond. Man, I need help, she's not even wearing the right color suit. I walk by and she glances down at my arm and stumbles back on reflex. I pull my cloak to cover my geth arm.

"Excuse me," I say as we pass. She watches me walk by. A thought comes to me . . . that's certain to get someone's attention, and if my description is passed around through the migrant fleet maybe Tali'll learn I'm alive . . . crap, I've got to be the one to tell her. Otherwise she'll think I was dodging her on purpose!

I turn back to the quarian. Oh crap, she's gone. I'm dead meat.

No choice but to go back to the mission and do my job. I enter the complex, no need to buzz in. After all we're here to check up on a sick family member.

Yeah right . . .

We managed to find the landlord, a gruff krogan. That surprised me I thought they all ran around trying to kill each other . . . don't look at me like that you've seen 'em. I may be spending too much time around Helen . . .

"How do you know Alex," the landlord asks leading us through the building his master key in hand.

"He's our cousin," Helen answers. "His mom hasn't heard from him and since we were in the neighborhood asked us to check up on him."

I can tell the krogan knows there's something off about her story, he's pretty smart . . . or at least has good instincts. "He's lucky to have such . . . well-armed family members," the landlord remarks, glancing at our weapons. I was still using the two Phalanx pistols, two Locust SMGs Incisor sniper rifle I stole from the Owner's base, of course my most prized possession the knife and sheathe Tali gave me hung down at my waist. Helen was outfitted like a soldier, one pistol, shotgun, assault rifle, and sniper rifle, very versatile.

"Mercs," I respond. I found one word sentences were hard to argue with.

"I figured," the landlord responds.

We finally reach the room, "Here we are," the landlord says opening the door. I get a bad feeling the moment the door opens. Most likely from the fact there was a dead body on the floor.

"Alex," Helen acts rushing forward to his body. I can tell she's acting, because obviously she doesn't care beyond a failed mission. She makes a show of trying to wake him up during which I spot her hands checking his pockets. "Wake up," she pleads.

I can't believe how desensitized I've gotten to death. I don't care that this guy is dead. Sure I didn't know him but I don't even feel the slightest bit sad. Another thing Cerberus has done. I decided being stoic is the best choice for me.

The landlord has long since called the police and emergency services. "Not that it'll do any good," he comments seeing how limp this 'Alex' was.

"Guess I've got a sad letter to write," I say walking over to Helen.

"Alex," she cries.

"Drama queen," I whisper, "you might be overdoing it."

I make a show of putting my hands on her shoulders, "Got it," she whispers. I lead a 'crying' Helen out of the building.

She stops the moment we're through the door, police and emergency services file past us. "Wow they're fast," I remark seeing them.

"Let's go," she grabs my arm and pulls me along back to the shuttle.

"What's wrong," I ask, after I sit down.

"They're too fast," she mutters as we lift off.

"You know you're paranoid right?" I laugh.

"Just because your paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you," she says checking the rearview camera. "We're being followed."

"There're hundreds of shuttles flying around they could just be going the same way," I suggest.

She takes a sharp sudden turn, illegal and bolts down an intersection. I've never been so scared in my life. They stay on our tail. "They're following us."

"Got it," I say weakly. I hold on for dear life. For some reason the song, 'Jesus take the wheel' plays in my head . . . that was one of my mom's favorite songs.

Ok changing to chase music. We swing around another building, straight into oncoming traffic. "Truck," I shout seeing on of the massive semi like vehicles come flying toward us. I scream as Helen swings around it expertly. She despite being in some highspeed chase thousands of feet in the air, and dodging hundreds of cars has the time to look over at me with a look of superiority in her eyes . . . oh no she knows I'm afraid of . . .

She does a barrel roll. "I swear when we land your gonna get it," she dives almost 90 degrees straight down. I feel weightless as we cut down through traffic. She pulls up and we take off again.

I glance over my shoulder, "We lost them," I exhale a sigh of relief.

"We lost them back at the truck," she informs me.

"You bi-."

She does another barrel roll cutting me off. "Come on it's fun," she teases. Great now she knows my weakness . . . I'm afraid of car chases thousands of feet in the air with a crazy woman driving.

"Women drivers," I mumble.

"What was that," she asks finally in a position to threaten me.

"Nothing," I answer quickly.

We speed off toward the space port, our ship and a briefing with TIM.

"Dead," TIM asks. Sitting in his customary chair, in his suit, and smoking.

"As a doornail," I answer. "I didn't see any obvious wounds," I look back at the image. "Guessing poison."

"The information," TIM asks.

"Got it," Helen says.

"Very good," he doesn't give anything away does he. He speaks in a perfect monotone, and never moves.

"Anything else," I ask testily. I got the job done so I figured I was allowed to be a little annoyed.

He pauses and looks at me those creepy, robotic, blue eyes staring through me. Like he was reading my every thought. I felt like I was Darth Vader talking to Sidous, and should be kneeling and saying 'Yes master.' I didn't like that feeling. Though the analogy might fit.

"I can understand your aggravation," he says mechanically. No he can't. He's just trying to placate me for some reason . . . that's right Shepard's gonna wake up soon, and if he has me then that gives Shepard that much more reason to listen. "But you cannot make contact with the quarian."

"Her name's Tali," I interject. I cross my arms, "I'm losing my motivation to work for you."

"Helen," TIM gets her attention, "leave."

"Sir," she nods and walks out. She glances at me as she passes, 'special treatment?' her eyes say.

I hear the door slide closed. "You are free to leave my organization at any time," he mirrors Helen's words from earlier.

And that's where he's got me, I was caught once and truth is I was afraid of what would happen if I was caught again. "I don't feel free," I respond. "I've been doing my job with a near hundred percent success rate," I add. "I think I should get some kinda reward for that."

He seems to think something over, "No," he answers simply.

He knows I won't leave . . . so he's taking advantage of me. Fine then . . . I'll end him too.

"I'm reassigning you," he informs me.

"Where," I ask.

"You don't need to know," he cuts the connection. God I hate his guts.

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**AN: And so ends the first chapter!**

**Review... if you want.  
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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Enjoy chapter 2... or else! Joking.**

**Seriously enjoy.**

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**Ch. 2**

**The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.**

**Author: Charles F. Kettering**

I was parting ways with Helen . . . I'm so disappointed. I'm a little sad, and we have been working together for the last six months. Happy of course to get away from her driving.

I'm not used to being the one who leaves . . . I mean so far everyone's left me. Wrex, Tali, and Garrus left me behind. Of course I knew it had to happen . . . though I'm guessing Garrus never went back to C-sec . . .

"Bye," I say simply and head toward the shuttle TIM had sent to get me.

I feel her hug me from behind, which was unexpected. "Stay safe you big idiot."

"O...k..." Good to know she cares somewhat. She lets go and walks off. I'm a little stunned I thought she didn't like me . . . I shake it off and get in the shuttle.

I sit down in the shuttle, it's a Kodiak like the one Shepard uses in ME2 . . . well considering we're using the same rental agency it makes sense. Did I just call Cerberus a rental agency?

I lay my head back on the seat. Except for the pilot in the forward seat I'm alone in this little room. I slowly close my eyes.

"_Look out," I shout holding my hand out toward someone. An explosion I'm thrown back, "No goddamn it no," I exclaim weakly. I watch as several synthetics advance over a barricade toward me . . . _

That didn't end very well now did it? So avoid explosions and robots for a while.

I realize that I had fallen asleep in a shuttle with a stranger who could've killed me. Oh well he didn't, no point in chastising myself about it. "You awake back there," he asks . . . his voice sounds familiar somehow.

"Yeah I'm up," I yawn. "Not sure how much longer before I nap again though."

"Well while you're awake any questions," he asks.

"I don't suppose you could tell me where I'm going," I ask sleepily. I yawn and start to nod off again.

"Lazarus station," the man answers, my eyes shoot open, and I sit up straight. I recognize the voice now.

"What's your name," I ask. Best to get it from the horse's mouth.

"Jacob," he answers, "Jacob Taylor."

I knew his voice was familiar. "Nice to meet you Jacob," I greet. "I'm Will, Will Doe."

"I know, Mr. Doe," he answers, "super soldier, agent of the Owner . . . " I growl audibly. "Ex-agent of the Owner," he corrects, "you were with Shepard." That last one was my favorite commendation. Hearing that always made me feel better.

"You forgot handsome and pure awesome but I can understand," I laugh.

"And humble," he adds.

I laugh harder, "That too." "So Jacob, if I may call you that, why did you sign on with Cerberus," I ask, I'm just making conversation to pass the time.

"They get things done," he answers, "whereas in the Alliance we had to cut through a mile of red tape to use the bathroom."

"So some people join voluntarily," I state, "I didn't have much of a choice."

"I heard, that was a rare case," he tries to placate me.

"Don't defend them," I order sternly, "they don't deserve it.

"What did they make you do to piss you off so much," he asks.

"It's not what they made me do . . . it's how they asked," I answer . . . it's all on how you ask. "They should say 'please' more." "And the conscription with no real choice still makes my blood boil."

"So if they had transported you freely to a planet with the option to say no and asked . . . ?"

"I'd have said yes," I answer. "I'm not stupid. The main reason I'm still alive is probably TIM keeping them off me."

"Two things, first if you would've said yes anyway then why are you mad," he asks. "Second TIM?"

"First, I hate being forced to do things," I answer gruffly, "second The Illusive Man," I put an emphasis on each letter.

"Explains why you're not in the military," he says offhandedly.

"Only two people can give me an order and I'll like taking it," I remark a small grin forming on my face.

"Who," he asks.

"One, is my commander whether she's dead or alive," I answer.

He pauses for a second, "the other?"

"My girlfriend," I laugh.

He laughs too, "I hear that." We settle into an uncomfortable silence.

"Are we there yet," I ask.

"Yes," he answers.

"Really," I ask surprised.

"Really."

I stare out the window as Lazarus station comes into view, my home for a while . . . I think back to my dream. Maybe when the machines start attacking everyone. Though it looks like I was losing. Before I know it, we're docked in the station.

"Miranda will want to see you," Jacob says getting out of the pilot's chair.

"I wouldn't mind seeing her," I respond. Her being a bitch aside she's easy on the eyes . . . trust me that's all, and I don't want a repeat of . . . never mind. A quick walk through the station and I'm standing in her office.

"Mr. Doe," she says not rising from her chair. I make no attempt to hide my leering.

"Ms. Lawson," I respond no looking at her face.

"Up here, Mr. Doe," she says gesturing to her face.

I smirk, fake a vice and someone thinks they can take advantage of it. She'll think I'm that easy to manipulate that all I need is a pretty . . . face. Right . . . face. "The view a foot lower's better though," I respond not losing my smirk.

"Please stop playing games," she orders, "I've read your psyche report." "You'll find attempting to fake a weakness won't work with me."

"Ok then," I sit down in a chair on the opposite side of her desk. "You obviously know I meant none of what I said, and apologize for any insult you might have construed."

"Mr. Doe," she does her best impression of the Illusive Man.

"Sorry I'll be serious."

"Your duties onboard the station will be given to you by Jacob," she informs me wanting this meeting to end quickly.

"Understood and I must say you are one of the breast directors I've met . . . " I made a little joke . . . just because I can't think of a fun way to mock her name. I had Gayrus, Assley . . . that's all I got.

She catches the joke and I slowly back out hands in clear sight like I was trying to get away from a dangerous animal. "She can't kill me," I remind myself, "unless she wants TIM to get pissed at her." I'm going to make my own food, and sleep with two guns under my pillow from now on. Threat of death aside I think it might be worth it. I have to do that to someone and she made the mistake of being the first person I saw.

"You have a way with women," Jacob says. He's been waiting for me outside her office.

"It's a gift," I laugh. "She's not your girlfriend right," I ask.

"Not anymore," he answers wistfully. Some emotions still there I guess.

"An amicable breakup," I ask curiously. You never really got the details.

"It was," he says taking on a military thousand yard stare as we walk through the halls.

"Better than mine then," I remark, not really paying attention to my surroundings.

"Yours," he asks.

"Liana," I answer, that's all I ever need to say to someone in Cerberus apparently because he drops the subject immediately.

"Here you are," he says stopping in front of a door.

"What is it," I ask.

"Your room till the project is completed," he answers.

"Project being," I ask, pretending I don't know.

"I guess your comments to Miri distracted her from telling you," he says to himself.

"What is the project," I ask more insistently.

"Reviving Commander Jane Shepard," he answers. I already know it is but hearing it makes my heart leap.

"That's something I can sink my teeth into," I smile from ear to ear. "Can I see her," I ask . . . I don't have to try and put the look of hope on my face.

"Tomorrow," he answers, "it'll give you time to put your room together."

I wonder what he means by that. I enter the room and it's a craphole. I mean as craphole as a room on a space station can be. Things were strewn around and not organized, papers, actual papers, OSD, and other things are on the floor. I feel a sense of . . . home in the mess. My room at home was a craphole, but it was my craphole, and this room reminded me of it. I clear a bunch of stuff off the bed and lay down. Miranda probably put me here because of my comments but whatever I like it.

I couldn't sleep. Due to the fact I'd already rested in the shuttle. So I just lay here, and I work on the most important thing I currently have in my life.

Dear Tali . . .

"I am alive.

I have something to tell you, and we will meet soon, and when we do . . . I'll tell you everything."

Short and mysterious . . . and I know just the time to send it . . . when the last thing on anyone's mind is keeping me off the extranet.

Well since I've got nothing better to do, I'm going to see if there's anything to do on the station. I walk out through the hiss of the automatic door. A man is outside my door like a guard. "You," I say pointing to him.

"Sir," he asks.

"Is there a gym or something on this station," I ask.

"I'll take you there sir," he answers. He walks down the hall without another word. I figure I might as well follow him. I guess I'm sir to these people.

He leads me through a few turns and doors. I check my surroundings to see if I recognize anything significant enough to find Shepard's room. It doesn't seem like I'm anywhere near it. We eventually pass into a locker room. I back out covering my eyes.

It was dual gender, mix that with a bit of shyness about... nekkedness and you've got me stumbling out of the Locker room hands over my eyes and stammering out an apology to the several female crewmembers who were changing. I hear several people laugh at me.

There goes trying to be a cool guy. I take a deep breath and dive back in. Trying to keep my vision on the ceiling. I find a locker with my name on it already. I pull out gym clothes in my size. I glance around and suddenly I'm the center of attention. Everyone wants to see what the weird super soldier looks like.

I begin taking off my armor. I hear a gasp, yeah... scars did that. I had scars from taking that piece of Sovereign, the fire at the warehouse, the roof of said warehouse collapsing, and roughly removing my wires and tubes. So scars galore. I throw on the shirt they had for me. I put on the shorts and head into the gym. I spot an actual boxing ring, that's just awesome to me a boxing ring on a space station. Jacob seems to be sparring with another member of security. I watch as he quickly takes the other man down. As expected of a future member of Shepard's team.

"My turn," I should jumping from the ground up to the rings edge.

He shakes his head, "Finished for today."

"Damn," I glance over at a guy putting on headgear. "You," I point at him, "and me." He glances at me and looks over at my geth arm.

"Don't worry I'll just use one arm," I grin. I'm allowed to be cocky, I saved the galaxy.

I put on a single boxing glove and keep my right hand behind my back, I put my left fist forward. "I don't need headgear."

My opponent gets in on the other side. He uses an orthodox boxing stance, right fist forward. I walk straight across the ring dropping my arms to my sides. "Hit me."

He complies in a flash and I feel a sting on my cheek, my head moves to the side to absorb damage. He looks at me surprised. Fear evident, did he hit me with everything he had? I smash him in the center of the face with my left fist. He falls straight back and slams down on the mat. Oops put too much into it.

"You alive," I ask staring down at him. He turns his head in my general direction... ok then I didn't kill him.

"Mr. Doe I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill your co-workers." Great Miranda's here.

She's in regular gym clothes with a towel around her neck. I wouldn't have thought she'd have to exercise, being genetically perfect and all. My body somehow manages to stay in perfect shape with almost no exercise, don't ask me how...

"I held back," a half truth, that wasn't a full tilt punch but it was in the neighborhood.

"Be more serious," she orders me. For some reason I get a strange nostalgia for an instant. Shepard told me to do that...

"I don't care what you say," I lay it out simple and clear. I don't like her, I can't help it there's something in me that is just repelled by her.

"Doe," she says in a commanding tone, "you will listen to me."

I stomp over to her, and stand head and shoulders over her. "Cerberus only has me till she starts moving." She matches my stare. I bump past her and walk towards the locker rooms. Damn it why's everyone trying to go alpha male on me? First the Owner, then TIM and now Miranda, call it whatever you want I'm not going to bow down to anyone else unless I choose to.

And I don't choose to bow down to Miranda. I change and head back to my room. I lay down and sit staring at the ceiling. I feel anger that had taken over begin to fade. Damn it I do stupid things when I get emotional... I'm just ticked at my lot in life, I should apologize, like a good responsible adult... man I wish I was a child... I head to Miranda's office to apologize.

She's not there... I wander around till I actually find an area I can recognize from the game. From there I walk all the way back to Shepard's room. There aren't any guards outside the door. I open the door, "Shepard," I mutter. So what if it's a restricted area.

The second door opens and Miranda is standing there looking at Shepard. Just looking at her as if deep in thought. She seems to realize I'm there. "Doe you're not supposed to... you won't listen." she sighs. Miranda robot woman actually sighed?

"I wanted to say I was sorry," I say rubbing the back of my head nervously. "You didn't deserve how I've been acting." "It's just, I hate moving," I say like it's a perfect explanation.

She stares at me incredulously, from the apology or excuse I can't tell.

"Well all I wanted to say is I'm sorry so I'll just be going now," I say inching towards the first door.

She watches me for a moment, her robot expression softens for a moment. "You wanted to see her right," she says gesturing to Shepard.

"If you'll let me," I say. I go through mood changes a lot.

Miranda I can almost read, she's not quite as good as TIM at hiding her emotions. "You may," she gestures to Shepard. I go stand and look over Shepard. She was wearing a patient's gown right now, I guess they don't change her into the clothes till later. I look at her face and an intense calm comes over me seeing her. I mean things always turned out alright when I was round her, we never failed a mission... never got betrayed or captured.

I may be putting too much on Shepard. Making her more than she is. I try to shake it away but I can't help it. She has a... aura, no that's not right... it's indescribable. I feel safe, when I'm near her.

Miranda notices the change in me, "It's almost like magic isn't it," she says wistfully.

I never thought she'd talk like that, "One in a trillion," I respond. No one I've ever met is anything like Shepard. My heart skips a... oh no...

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**A/N: Uh oh... Will might have more problems than an army of po'd bosses...**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This ones off to a pretty good start 6 reviews on two chapters... it's a good start to me at least.**

**Ch. 3 for your pleasure.**

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Ch. 3**

**Sleep... Oh! how I loathe those little slices of death...**

**Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow**

I realized what the feeling was and I don't want it. I don't. Not after all this, I'm just happy Shepard's never shown any interest in me. '...talked to you the most besides Kaidan...' Ashley's words play in my head.

"No," I mumble. "She was just suspicious right?"

"What," Miranda asks.

I shake my head, something I've been doing a lot lately. "Nothing," I answer. It's gotta be nothing.

I think of Tali, I love her... it's that simple. It's not like I'm going to try anything with Shepard. It's just a crush, just a crush, please God say it's just a crush. Of course it's a crush I mean who wouldn't develop one on someone who's so strong, caring... stop it! I smack myself. Miranda's looking at me funny, I must really seem crazy.

I hear the door open and a bald man walks in, "Who's this," the man asks.

"Wilson, this is Will Doe," she answers. "The Illusive Man assigned him to the station."

"Why," Wilson asks, "is he a doctor?"

"No, but after Shepard woke up the Illusive Man thought bringing in one of Shepard's team was a good idea, and as Mr. Doe can double as security."

"So he's just more muscle," he scowls at that.

"He also has ears and a penchant for holding a grudge," I growl at being called 'muscle.' It made me sound so easily bought.

He glances at Miranda, "Shepard trusts him and that will make things go easier later," she explains.

I can tell Wilson doesn't like this, and all I have to say to that is... too freakin' bad man!

"Well the smart people have to work," he says talking down to me, he was a lot less of an ass in the game... well due to the fact he was gonna die you figure he'd be nicer.

I crack the knuckles on my human arm, "I'll hit you so hard your IQ'll drop if you don't show some respect."

Miranda intercedes, "Doe, Wilson is my second in command."

"Is it enough I'll follow your orders, I won't follow Wimpson's," I respond.

She stares at me studying my expression, "Very well please leave we have work to do."

"Understood," I respond crisply and walk for the door. I intentionally bump Wilson. I'd like to do a lot more but things in ME2 seemed to have a certain timing and if he doesn't initiate the attack then all that'll be screwed up.

"I don't like him," I hear Wilson say to Miranda before the door closes.

"It's mutual," I shout. The door shuts cutting off anything else. What can I say, I hate certain people, some I realize for illogical presumptions... I mean I judge them by the game. Miranda was a bit of a... ice queen, I'm not gonna call her my other names, that'll fit for now. I see there's something a little deeper... or maybe I'm just crazy. Though considering some of my experiences I may actually be crazy and Miranda could have something going on underneath.

Eh, what do I care... I'm full up on crushes. I'll just follow her orders till Shepard's able to talk then, I of course will follow Shepard.

I can't trust myself to lead my own life, not here not yet.

I settle into a rhythm putting some structure in my normally chaotic days. Work out, watch Shepard, eat, sleep and repeat... at least for a short while. You all can guess what happened.

The alarm blares, I'm in the gym. "Shit." I know exactly what's happening and of course it happens at the worst possible moment.

I jump off the treadmill to make a dash for the locker room but freeze when I hear gunshots followed by, "Hostiles detected."

I look around, 'a sword a sword my kingdom for a sword.' Well guess I'll have to settle for some dumbells. I pick up a pair of twenty pound ones. Other people were coming near me... hoping the super soldier can protect them. I hope I can.

I spot a LOKI mech enter. I fling one of the dumbbells at it, the force of the impact knocks it off its feet. Dead or not, now or never. I rush in, my geth arm still holding the other dumbbell. I spot another flash of white, I fling the other one haphazardly. A gun! I reach the first downed mech, I draw its machine pistol. I aim ready to take out the other, it's already down. My throw hit it. I let out a sigh of relief. I check the mech's body. It has a few extra thermal clips. I glance over my shoulder feeling eyes on my back.

There're three other people in the gym with me. Two guys and a girl, I don't know their names but they don't look like soldiers.

Wait, I'm the most experienced person in the room with these kinds of situations. I mean look when it started I didn't panic like I would've. I got a weapon and eliminated the threat. I have changed.

"Get over here," I order with authority. They glance at each other nervously, but they all step forward.

"Sir," one of the guys asks.

"Names," I ask. I need something to call them other than 'you.'

"Smith," the larger man answers. He's not as big as me and you can tell he works as a doctor or something non-physical he's slim.

"John," says the smaller man, he's fidgety like he thinks everyone's out to get him or something. Again not much meat on his bones.

"Jane," I probably could've guessed the girls names. None of them are giving me their real names. Well she's not someone I'd date, but not that bad looking, medium build but like the others you can tell she's a sciency type.

"Well then pseudonym trio, any of you shot a gun before," I ask.

"We've had basic arms training," Smith answers. Of course.

"Grab a gun," I order.

"What are we going to do," Jane asks, a little uncertainty in her voice.

"Fight," I answer like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "We can't run."

"She means where are we going to go," John points out.

"Shepard," I answer. "That's where I'm going."

They glance at each other, a look of acceptance passes between them, guess they accept me as leader. "All right," Smith grabs the gun from the other downed mech. I toss the one in my hand to John.

We head into the locker room. All my stuff is hanging in my locker. I rip the door off rather than type the combination. The others look at me shocked. "I'm sure they won't mind a damaged locker during an emergency."

I gather all my armor and weapons after hastily throwing the armor on. I distribute my better quality weapons to the pseudonym trio. I hand over my locusts and a phalanx. They holster their salvaged weapons, and check the thermal clips on my much better weapons.

"I'll be tank," I say to them.

They look at me questioningly, "Tank?"

"Come on you're nerds, RPG the warrior, tanker, guy who takes damage," I answer. "I have armor and shields so I'll lead."

"Do you know the way," Jane asks.

I stop and look back, "Of course," she is my commander after all. And one of the main reasons, life being threatened aside, I joined Cerberus. I memorized the route to the lab practically on my first day. They fall in behind me. I'm a leader... it's a scary thought.

First step into the hall I hear a round bounce off my shields. I spin and line up the laser sight of my Phalanx pistol with the offending mech's head. I squeeze the trigger of my pistol and blow its head off. 'Too easy,' I switch from my right to my left hand.

I hide my geth arm behind my cloak by habit and we head for Shepard's room. I lead holding my pistol out in front of me. Followed by the pseudonym trio, which is my nickname for John, Jane, and Smith. Which as far as I can tell are fake names. We continue through corridors uninterrupted by mechs mostly, a few here and there nothing major... until we reached 'that' area.

The area in front of Shepard's room, some other guys were already there shooting at a swarm of mechs. "Mow 'em down," I shout firing into the crowd of mechs without aiming. The others open up with their weapons too and we kill them quickly but... I hear the death groans of those on the barricade.

I run up and see three men down, bullet wounds. "Damn it," I mutter, "you don't die when the hero arrives." I was too late... I'm never too late. Damn it ME2 was darker maybe that means I'll see more deaths.

"Sir," Jane says walking up.

I still have people counting on me, "They had the right idea but they were missing an important piece," I say confidently.

"What," Smith asks.

"Me."

They nod, I'm their only hope since they followed me. God I hate being someones only hope it's too much pressure. Oh well when in doubt shoot stuff.

The next wave of mechs charges in. I pick them off one at a time with accurate shots... but they keep coming. The others are doing their best but it's obvious they aren't that good. John and Smith keeping wasting shots firing from the hip. I don't have time to correct them.

I spot a mech take aim next to me, I throw my right arm in it's intended path on instinct. My shields fail and the round penetrates my geth arm. For some reason it goes limp at my side. I glance and in the path of the shot was Jane. "Saved your life," I smirk.

The waves of geth get closer and closer to our barricade until. "Aagh," John groans a round punching through him.

"No," I shout, I roll to him and pick up his Locust and spray rounds at the mechs. Another groan and I see Smith go down.

I look for Jane she's panicking now, what the hell was I thinking bringing them here? Damn it. I try to draw the mechs' attention by firing rounds wildly and moving around.

"H-ho-ostiles located," says a voice at my feet. My eyes widen and I look down. Seeing a mech at my feet. "Oh..." it explodes and throws me over the barricade.

Mimicking my dream I hold my arm out towards Jane. I see her go down a bullet hole in her head, her eyes staring into mine in shock. "No..."

I scoot back using my one good arm and leg to propel me towards Shepard's door. I manage to get in and lock the door. I spread medigel on my wounds. My armors tough as hell so that explosion was more jarring than anything. Not many cuts, a few bruises and it hurt a bit to breathe. The door's solid but who knows how long it'll last. I manage to get to my feet and open the inner door. It slides open and I see Shepard still laying there. I limp out and smash the panel, it'll be impossible for the mechs to open this door. I sit with my back to the wall facing the door. Now all I can do is hope she wakes up soon.

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**A/N: Thanks all reviewers!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Holy crap! If the review rate keeps up this story will smoke my other two out of the water lol.**

**I hope you guys enjoy Ch. 4**

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**Ch. 4**

**As machines get to be more and more like men, men will come to be more like machines.**

**Author: Joseph Wood Krutch**

It felt like hours . . . but most likely it's only been a couple of minutes. I keep seeing everyone die again. I never want to lead anyone again. All I want is to be led. It's so much easier for me. Just let me rest here, stay napping please, Shepard.

"Shepard," Miranda's voice bursts into the room. Great we time to get moving, I guess. I stay where I'm sitting in the corner hiding behind the locker. I need my rest after all this, but I don't know why, I didn't fight for that long.

I see Shepard begin moving around. Great Miranda's naggy enough to bring back the dead . . . not the time for jokes . . .

"Shepard, do you hear me!"

Dammit I want to sit here and do nothing . . . but she's right we've got to get moving. I stand up and walk over to Shepard's bed. "Time to get up Shepard, wakey wakey."

"Get out of that bed now," Miranda orders. She pauses for a bit and when no one answers, "This facility is under attack."

I stand over Shepard. Her eyes open suddenly, "Morning' sleeping' beauty."

Miranda of course gets her words in, "Shepard, your scars aren't healed, but I need you to get moving." "This facility is under attack."

Shepard looks over at me, and she looked confused for a moment then . . . "Will?"

I don't think I've been quite this happy for a long time, and I could almost kiss . . . Tali, not Shepard, Tali. Before I can reply. "There's a pistol in the locker on the other side of the room." I was about to talk again when Miranda continues, "Hurry!"

I help Shepard to her feet. "Where am I," Shepard asks groggily. "And why does it feel like I went ten rounds with a krogan?"

"Right now we need to get out of here," I tell her. "You trust me right?"

She looks at me, a small smile forms on her face, "I'm glad you're all right." Huh?

"I'm fine, but you're the one who just got off the operating table," I laugh. She leans forward and hugs me. Not the right place or time for this . . .

"You were in a coma fighting for your life last time I saw you." Figures Shepard would wake up in the middle of Skynet coming online and care about someone serving under her. How much easier it would be to get over this crush if she was a bitch . . . is it weird I think it's bad luck she's a nice person who cares about . . . cut it out damn it!

"I'm fine now," I respond, "get your armors and weapons." It felt weird giving Shepard an order.

"This is your posting," she replies heading over to the locker. "You're in charge." She takes her shirt off.

I cover my eyes, one thing I noticed before is her face isn't the only place she's scarred. Despite the scars she's . . . I'm gonna punch myself. She's my boss, bosses aren't supposed to look beautiful and caring to their subordinates . . . I have a problem . . .

I feel Shepard peel my hand off my face, "Problem?"

I clear my throat, "Let's move it," I reply. She nods and falls in behind me. I can't believe I'm a leader again . . . I hate being the leader. Quit bitchin' we've got to get out of here.

"The pistol's empty," Shepard informs me. I hand over a couple of thermal clips.

"Get behind cover," Miranda orders.

We jump behind cover and wait. An explosion destroys the door. "Someone's hacking security trying to kill you," she informs us.

"I'm here Miranda you don't have to give her the play by play," I inform her.

"Will that's good," Miranda responds. Wait did she just call me Will? The whole time I've been here it's been, 'Mr. Doe.' Now Will? Things' gotta be very bad if she's that relieved.

"Let's move it."

Shepard takes another clip off the body between the two doors. I draw my Phalanx and aim out, my right arm's still useless, so all I've got is my left. The second door opens and we spot a trio of mechs. I drop one Shepard drops the other two in a blink. No matter how good I get, she'll be miles beyond me. I can at least try not to slow her down. Damn it and she just woke up from being dead!

I check the bodies on the barricade, I close Smith, John and Jane's eyes and collect my weapons from them. Shepard notices I've only been using my left arm. "What's wrong with your arm," she asks.

"I got shot," I answer.

She reaches out toward my arm, "Let me take a look at it."

I reflexively back away. I didn't like people touching my right arm . . . since there was no feeling it was weird. "I'm all right."

She moves closer to me, "Let me see it," she orders. It took a lot of will to ignore that order . . . But unfortunately she had backed me into a corner. She reaches out and pulls my cloak away, and gasps . . . that's right it was so surprising that Shepard gasped. "Your arm . . . "

"I kept dropping stuff so I thought I'd replace it . . . "

"Will," she looks at me pity in her eyes, "what happened to you?"

"I've survived, all that will be undone if we don't get the hell out of here," I say firmly. I nudge her out of my way and come out of the corner. I suppose that's one way to let her find out about my arm. I didn't really have a plan on how to tell her . . .

"All right," she responds, we begin heading down the halls, fighting mechs along the way Shepard pinpoint targeting every mech that appears and wiping them out. She killed two for every one I got . . . I feel so inadequate . . .

We continue on and reach a floor overlooking one below it.

"Shepard, on the ground Miranda pipes in, take the grenade launcher from the security officer," Miranda orders. Uh oh, one thing Shepard is alpha male . . . er female in this pack, she only takes orders after putting herself under someone's command. Like when this all started . . . but not someone from out of nowhere . . .

"She does know who I am right," Shepard asks me.

"Of course," I answer, "she rebuilt you."

"Rebuilt?"

"Later," I answer quickly. Too much information for now. I'll let them explain it to her. Shepard hefts the grenade launcher and falters for a moment. "You all right," I asked worried. If I had to carry Shepard out of here I don't know if I'd be able to.

"Just woozy for a moment there," she answers. She looks past me the door on the lower level had opened and half a dozen mechs were walking through. She fires off a grenade without hesitation and wipes out that entire group.

"Remind me never to piss you off," I laugh.

"You don't need a reminder for that," she laughs too. It was a rare moment of levity in the middle of all this. It felt awesome, oh God this is gonna be so hard when Tali comes back . . . or will it get easier?

I walk over to the railing and leap down. My knees bend and absorb the impact. I glance up at Shepard. I hold my hand out, "Come with me if you want to live." She walks over to the elevator and takes it down the same floor as me.

It reaches the floor, she smirks at me, "What do you think I've been doing?" I turn to get ready to go and notice Shepard's launcher had breached one of the tanks on the wall. It's flammable contents . . . flaming out like a . . . flame thrower. I duck my head and sprint through. My hand covering my eyebrows. I'd rather they didn't burn off. Shepard follows me through.

We reach the lab rooms, which had most of Miranda's notes on the project. We bypass the rooms without even looking inside. "Shep- Wi- Hurry it up!" "I won't be abl- -istract these mechs fore-er." "Mechs closing-." It cuts out . . . that sounded different from the game's message, besides the addition of my name.

"We need to hurry up," I tell Shepard and break into a run. We run up a flight of stairs, I glance to my left, in the game this is where you see someone die. But there's no one there this time. Things are definitely different. Wait, a while back two more people should have been killed. That's three . . . they couldn't have been John, Smith and Jane . . . and I just changed where they die? I hear gunfire and up my pace, I pass through a door and who's there but Mr. Jacob Taylor. Shooting at and getting shot at by a group of mechs. Shepard peeks around the corner, I move in behind her and look over her around the corner. Only a couple of mechs. Shepard backs up and . . . bumps into me. I jump backwards, blushing. Shepard charges around the corner without a backwards glance.

Shepard and I add our fire power to his and the mechs get slaughtered. After they all stop fidgeting Jacob turns to us, "Thanks for the save."

"No problem Jacob," I respond.

"Should we get going," Shepard breaks in.

"Commander, good to see you on your feet," he smiles. I reflexively take a step in front of Shepard. My first thought is 'back off.' Second thought, 'I really, really need professional help . . . except for Kelly . . . well actually Kelly seemed nice . . . stop it!' I take a deep breath and refocus on the current problem.

"We should-."

I'm interrupted by a sudden message, "Hello? Hello can anybody hear me?"

"Wilson," Jacob responds, "This is Jacob. I'm with Commander Shepard. We just took out a wave of mechs over in D wing." I never bothered learning the names of places, but I just know which ways to turn.

"Shepard's alive," Wilson asks. He doesn't sound exactly happy now does he, "How the hell . . . " "Never mind, you need to get him out of there," he's a really good actor isn't he? Get to the service tunnels and head for the network control room."

"Where you're hiding, I'll bet," I mutter without turning on my comm.

"He's a scientists," Jacob argues, "it's smart for him to hide."

Jacob looks off into the distance, "Roger that, Wilson." "Stay on this frequency," he orders.

Shepard looks pensive, "I remember a Wilson checking on me one time when I woke up."

"That's him," Jacob answers, "He's the chief medical-."

"Robot apocalypse," I interrupt, "leave his accolades for later."

"He's right," Shepard adds, "we really should get moving."

He nods, "Service tunnels are this way." We follow after Jacob. We head into a hall, the lights flickering . . . did I ever mention I was uncomfortable in the dark? Not exactly afraid . . . but it made me nervous. I speed down the hall, only thought to get to an area with solid lighting. The door opens and several mechs unfold on the other side of the room . . . which was a very small room. I bring my pistol up and a pair of shots fly by my shoulders taking the mechs' heads off. I fire into the last one.

"Wilson this room's crawling with mech's," Jacob chastises him over the comm.

"The whole station is crawling with mechs!" "I'm doing the best I can," he adds. I let the others get ahead of me for a second. I reach over to my right arm. Thank goodness my omni tool still works.

I send the message I wrote out earlier. And trust me working an omni tool on an arm stuck down to your side is no picnic. No interference now if they don't have something to catch messages it should go through.

"Will," Shepard calls, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," I answer quickly. "just reloading my gun," I add, "and believe me that's no picnic with one arm." I had been switching between them to delay having to reload but . . . they all were out. Except! I pull my Incisor Sniper rifle off my back. Will Doe, the one-armed sniper . . . Sogeking 100 shots, 100 hits . . . focus, focus. I tuck the butt of the rifle under my arm the only way I can carry it steady. I'm gonna be doing some guess work on my shots though . . . luckily the three round burst in this gun will let me fight from medium range.

"Will," Shepard shouts more urgently.

Right saving the jackass.

"Oh, God," he exclaims, "they found me!" "Help!" Drama queen . . . I sprint anyway to catch up with Shepard and Jacob. "Oh, God I'm hit!" I reach the room after Shepard and Jacob.

"Damn, he's alive," I mutter. I can't help it, he's an asshole who put me through this hell.

"Bastards got me in the leg," he says to Jacob and Shepard, ignoring my existence.

"You were there when I first regained consciousness," Shepard half aks, half declares.

"Yeah," he answers, "that was me." "How about we talk about this after . . . "

I throw medigel at him. "There you go, you big baby."

He treats the wounded area of his leg. "Thanks, I didn't expect you to help me." He looks in my eyes and falters for a moment, could he read that I knew about him? It won't change things, because I don't have to do anything, Miranda will take care of that.

"Apologize for calling me muscle," I order him.

"What?"

"When we first met you said 'he's just more muscle,' that bugs me." "Apologize," I take a step forward with no real intent.

"Sorry, sorry," he says holding his hands up and backing away. Jacob and Shepard just stand there watching. I felt the tiniest of twinges, I hated threatening and bullying . . . even if Wilson deserves all of it. "I thought maybe I could shut down the security mechs, but whoever did this made it irreversible."

"How long have you been here," I ask suspicion obvious in my voice.

"I was shot," he exclaims indignantly.

"Mechs don't aim for your legs . . . answer the damn question," I continue.

"I arrived when I sent that message out to you," he answers.

"We never asked what you were doing," Jacob says suddenly suspicious, "why do you even have security mech clearance?"

"Weren't you listening?" "I came here to try and fix this," he huffs, "besides, I was shot, how do you explain that."

I'm gonna stop talking, just let Miranda kill him. "I don't care who set up who," Shepard interrupts, "those mechs are shooting at all of us."

"We need Miranda first," Jacob adds, "We can't just leave her here."

Wilson practically jumps. "Forget about Miranda," he says a little too quickly, "she was over in D wing." "The mechs were all over that sector," he explains. "There's no way she survived."

"Miranda's tough," I argue.

"Then where is she," Wilson asks, "why haven't we heard from her?" That's right now he's trying to cast doubt on Miranda. Too bad he chose a group with Miranda's boyfriend . . . Jacob not me, I'm not going near her, I have enough problems. "There are only two possible explanations: she's either dead," he pauses . . . God I hate how theatrical people acted, "or a traitor."

I fake a sneeze, "I'm allergic to bullshit, sorry." I'm really stressed and I'm twenty I'm allowed to say that.

"This is Miranda's baby," Jacob adds, "why would she sabotage it?"

"Okay, maybe she's not a traitor, but that doesn't change the facts," Wilson concedes. "We're here she's not, we have to save ourselves." "The shuttle bay is only a few . . . "

The door opens and a trio of mechs march in firing at us. I unload on the explosive crate blocking the path. It explodes wiping them all out. We begin to head through the door . . . wait isn't this where Jacob . . .

"Ok we took 'em down, but this is getting tense." "Shepard, if I tell you who we work for, will you trust me," Jacob asks. The whole while I'm standing behind Shepard, shaking my head and mouthing 'don't.'

"This isn't the time, Jacob," Wilson adds.

"We won't make it if she's expecting a shot in the back," Jacob argues. Wilson would hate for her to be expecting a shot in the back wouldn't he?

"If you want to piss off the boss," Wilson backs away, "it's your ass, Jacob."

"The Lazarus Project, the program that rebuilt you," he begins and goddamn it I'm starting to hate these dramatic pauses! "It's funded and controlled by Cerberus." At the word Cerberus Shepard spins around and looks straight at me.

"You're working for Cerberus," she shouts. "How the hell could you join them!"

"It was that or die," I answer simply my shoulders sagging. A mix of emotions surfaces. Anger, how the hell can she lecture me, after all I've been through? Sad, I'd disappointed her. In truth her opinion mattered to me a lot. Which isn't that surprising . . .

At my words she calms down, "Why?"

"I was alone," I answer. I grow silent, "and naive."

"Sob story later," Wilson interrupts.

"He's right," I agree which left a bad taste in my mouth, "you said you trusted me . . . "

"I do," she answers sharply.

"Trust them then," I say, except for Wilson.

"All right," she sighs. "Let's move it."

"It's a little farther to the shuttle bay," Wilson adds. We run through several empty passage ways before the door opens to the shuttle bay. Several mechs unfold. We open fire on them. I hit one with a three round burst. Shepard, Jacob and Wilson, help tear into them . . . well Wilson hid more than shot. So it was me, Shepard and Jacob shooting through the mechs. We run up the ramp, "Almost there," Wilson informs us. We reach the top of the ramp and get ambushed by another group of mechs. Unfortunately I was standing in front of the door they come out of . . . unfortunate for the mechs. With no choice that close I charge in and flip my sniper rifle, grabbing the barrel and using it like a club to beat the mechs to death.

"It's right here," Wilson says running into the now clear room. He begins working on the door inside the room. It opens suddenly and standing there in all her tight outfitted glory is Miranda. "Miranda," Wilson asks, "but you were . . . "

He's interrupted by the bullet that just went into his head, "Dead?"

Shepard points her gun at Miranda. Jacob comes running in, "Miranda what the hell are you doing!"

"My job," she says not really caring, "Wilson betrayed us all." She treated killing Wilson like stepping on a cockroach . . . actually I think she'd care more about the cockroach . . .

Shepard puts her gun away, "I had a bad feeling about him."

"Good, some people are just too trusting," Miranda praises, she glances at me though. Oh, that hurt. I'm gonna get her for that. "Come on let's grab a shuttle and get out of here." "My boss wants to speak to you."

"The Illusive Man," I explain. "He's a real . . . " Miranda glares at me, " . . . good guy."

"I know you work for Cerberus," Shepard adds.

"Will," Miranda says sounding disappointed.

"I didn't tell her," I say defensively.

"I did," Jacob steps up. Good she can be disappointed with him.

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Lying to the commander isn't a good way to get her to join our cause," Jacob explains.

"Well since we've got that out in the open," she glances at Jacob, "is there anything you want to ask?"

Shepard looks around, "What about the other survivors?"

"If they're not here then they are dead," Miranda answers. "And they don't matter . . . "

"I hate that attitude," I butt in.

She looks over at me, "Anyone is expendable except for Shepard."

I swear I've never felt more like punching a woman in my entire life. I mean I really wanna cut loose and take her head off. I don't like people's lives being so callously being thrown away. She actually takes a step back. Shepard puts her hand on my shoulder. I glance at my right arm and sigh, "I need a mechanic."

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**A/N: Thanks alot to everyone who's been reviewing. Next chapter will have Will's dramatic meeting with Tali. Just to get you guys excited.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: The fated meeting, how will Tali react to Will? Did she even get his messages? Well if you wanna find out stop readin' this and start readin' the chapter!**

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**Ch. 5**

**We shall meet but we shall miss her.**

**Author: H.S. Washburn**

I fell asleep, I was exhausted, I just hope I don't have any dreams . . .

_I'm on the ground, and I look up at a giant machine, its foot on my chest. It aims its gun toward my head, "Shit . . . "_

Son of a, I'd rather have left the future a surprise . . . I lay back and look out the window I see Minuteman station getting 's main base of operations. I'd been here one time before, when I was first forced to join Cerberus.

We go into the room before the communication room. Sort of a waiting area. Miranda goes off to a terminal, Jacob stares off into space and I lay down between chairs. An engineer, is brought up to look at my arm. So I'm laying there with some weird guy poking and prodding my arm while Shepard goes off to talk to TIM.

"Wow," the engineer says admiring my arm.

"Ok I know it's geth tech, blah, blah, just fix it already," I snap. He nervously begins to work on the area I got shot at. I lay there going insane slowly. Shepard finally walks back into the room. She looks at me and a wry smile forms on her face.

"Getting your oil changed," she teases.

"That sounds a little antiquated," I respond.

"My dad used to put together very old cars," she laughs, "I'd help him out on occasion."

"That's cool," I laugh. I never really got around to doing any mechanic stuff with my dad.

"How did you get that," she asks changing the subject pointing at my arm.

I sigh, the mechanic moves away. I move my right arm working it through various ranges of motion. "I got caught," I respond losing focus.

"The Owner?"

"Yeah, they captured me and began doing things . . . "

Shepard looks at me, with pity in her eyes, it melts my heart. I wish it didn't. She changes the subject, "We're going to check out a colony."

"Ok," I respond getting up.

"Didn't think you'd need details," she smiles.

"You say jump, I say how high," I grin. She doesn't even bother talking to Miranda and Jacob. We head for the shuttle. Time to find out if my message went through.

We jump in the shuttle, we sit in silence as we jump out of the system. After we get through the relay, "We should be getting there shortly, Shepard." "The Illusive Man put us under your command," Miranda says unnecessarily, "do you have any orders?"

"You sure you're ok with taking my orders," Shepard asks.

"We didn't bring you back from the dead just to second-guess you, Commander," Jacob answers. "If the Illusive Man says you're in charge, you're in charge."

"I don't really care about that guy anymore," I say sitting with my arms crossed. "My boss is back so I'll be tendering my resignation."

Shepard smiles over at me, Miranda glares and Jacob's indifferent to it. "Our first priority is to look for survivors," Shepard informs us.

"That's unlikely, Commander," Miranda responds, "no one was left at the other colonies." "They were completely deserted."

"Be nice to find somebody," Jacob adds, "anything's better than another ghost town."

"Look for survivors," I respond, "got it." I feel a slight shift as we descend through the gravity of the planet down to Freedom's Progress . . . and Tali. We land and Shepard leads us out of the shuttle. No one anywhere's this place was empty. Of course I already knew that but some things had begun to diverge from the story. We jog over to the nearest building.

"Looks like everyone just got up and left right in the middle of dinner," Jacob points out as we see the empty room. He was right this room was clean . . . sort of, food was on plates, but no damage anywhere. Of course I know it's all because of the swarms but I'll just let them find that out for themselves. Try and cause as few ripples as possible.

"Food's cold," I comment. What a waste of good food . . . well I'm assuming on the good part.

"Let's keep moving," Shepard says leading the way out. My heart starts pummeling my rib cage I'm so nervous. We're getting closer and closer to Tali. Wait . . . what if she didn't get either of my messages? Then will she be relieved to see me or angry at my lack of contact? We enter the next area, and are immediately attacked by a group of mechs. I draw out my two Locust SMGs.

"Strange," Miranda says calmly firing at the mechs. "The security systems were all disabled at the other colonies."

"Well let's just tell them they shouldn't be working," I remark sarcastically. Distracted by the LOKI mechs I didn't notice the FENRIS mech that was charging toward me until my shields got destroyed by it. "Damn it," I shout dropping and emptying my locust into the FENRIS. "Bad dog!" Weird plug headed robotic dog . . .

We clear out the remaining mechs without trouble and that momentary distraction is gone so my hearts thudding like crazy again. Strange I calm down during a fight . . . More changes I guess, not exactly a bad one though. We head through the areas pretty quickly till we reach the area outside the room I recognize as the one the quarians are here.

Shepard notices my apprehension. "What's wrong," she asks.

I lick my lips nervously. "Nothing Shepard . . . just a bad dream," I attempt to divert her attention.

Her eyes widen for a moment. "I see."

"I'll be fine," I assure her. "I hope," I mutter to myself. I'm more nervous now, my dream had me having my chest stomped on by what I assume is a YMIR mech and the only place you see that is when Tali's squad gets wiped out.

An FENRIS mech runs from around cover toward us. It's dropped by four separate guns blowing its head off at the same time. Hey I shot it at the same time as them. I shift my second gun up to where I know a LOKI mech would jump out. It stands and receives a burst from my SMG for its trouble. We walk up to the ramp, and ignoring how nervous I was, Shepard, Miranda and Jacob walk right on in.

Everyone in the room draws their guns except for two people, me and the person I've been missing every day since I was captured, Tali. "Stop right there," a quarian says, I think he's Prazza.

Tali jumps in front of her team. "Prazza you said you would let me handle this," she reminds him. She turns to us and I swear I can hear her heart skip a beat at the same time mine did. "Shepard?" Not exactly what I was hoping to hear . . . that she was ignoring me.

"I'm not taking any chances with Cerberus operatives," Prazza butts in.

"Put those weapons down," Tali says forcefully. He glares at her for an instant, oh I want to smash his face plate so badly right now, then complies.

"Shepard . . . you're alive?" Ok what am I chopped liver?

"Yes Tali . . . Cerberus rebuilt me," Shepard answers, "in return they asked I investigate these colony attacks."

"You'll pardon us for not taking your word Cerberus," Prazza half scoffs.

I'm hiding near the back, I want to hold her and tell her everything . . . but how the hell can I explain everything?

"We're well withing our rights to investigate a human colony," Miranda puts an emphasis on human, "what I'm wondering is, what are you quarians are doing here?"

"Weapon's down Prazza," Tali orders, it was as sweet if not sweeter sound to me than Shepard when she woke up. "Whatever's going on here I don't think we'll need another fight."

Pay no attention to the man hiding behind the savior of the galaxy. I was looking forward to this so much, it didn't occur to me til now that she might not run toward me arms outstretched saying my name. I have to talk to her . . . but what do I say?

"One of our people came here on pilgrimage," Tali explains, "his name is Veetor."

"And you're here to find him right," I say from behind Shepard. Tali apparently didn't notice me til I talked just now, and her eyes meet mine.

Tali's eyes nearly fall out of her helmet. Guess she didn't really recognize me the first time . . . Shepard did, maybe the shock of seeing a zombie made her focus on Shepard . . . I really hope that's it. "Will?"

Ok I have no freakin' idea what to say right now . . . I don't know if 'Hi Tali' can cover how I feel right now. I'm torn between trying to act cool, and rushing forwards half in tears hugging her and telling her how much I've missed her . . . The only thing holding me back from the second one is that the other quarians might shoot me and I don't want to cry in front of Shepard . . .

"It's me," I answer, a half whisper that carries to her.

I feel how confused she is . . . Oh God, what if she pulls a Kaidan/Ashley, like they did on Horizon . . . I don't know if I could take it . . . "How . . . what have you . . . " She can't seem to form full sentences.

"It's . . . good to see you again," words can't seem to do justice to the emotions I'm feeling right now.

"Tali," Prazza says, "we have a job to do here."

She seems to snap out of her confusion, "Right."

"We'll help," I say suddenly. "You're looking for someone, right?"

Shepard butts in, "Isn't that strange?" "A quarian visiting a human colony," she explains.

"Quarians can choose where they go on Pilgrimage," Tali answers, "Veetor liked the idea of helping a small settlement." "He was always," she pauses, and it's like waiting for the next great game to hear her speak more, "nervous in crowds."

"She means he was unstable," Prazza buts in, "combine that with damage to his suit's CO2 scrubbers and an infection from an open-air exposure, and he's likely delirious." You don't talk Tali does . . .

"When he saw us landing he hid in a warehouse on the far side of the town," Tali adds, "we suspect he also programmed the mechs to attack anything that moved."

"Veetor's the only one who can tell us what happened here," Shepard begins, "we should work together to find him."

"I'll go with Tali's group," I pipe up, still hiding behind Shepard.

"I don't know if that's a good . . . "

"We don't need Cerberus's lackey," Prazza interrupts Tali. Again I feel like smashing his faceplate and throwing him in a pile of manure.

"Will you're staying with us," Shepard orders. Damn I can't grab Tali and run like I did on the Citadel.

"I wanted to talk to her," I mutter, stepping away from Shepard.

Shepard sighs explosively, "Take Will with you," Shepard suggests I swear she's gritting her teethe.

My heart jumps, and I resist the immense urge to 'woohoo.'

"All right," Tali says . . . wait did she just sigh? "Head for the warehouse through the center of the colony." "We'll circle around the far side and draw off some of the drones to clear you a path."

"Your people really don't like Cerberus," Shepard observes, "what did I miss?"

"They killed our people, infiltrated our flotilla, and tried to blow up one of our ships," Prazza answers. Damn it driving off that guy didn't do anything. That still happened.

"That's not how I'd have explained it, exactly," Miranda comments, "it was nothing personal."

"And that's why I hate Cerberus," I add.

"We can argue over who killed who later," Jacob intervenes before Miranda can respond, "Right now, we've got a job to do."

"Agreed," Tali says, "we work together to get to Veetor."

"Make sure to keep in radio contact," Shepard reminds her.

"Will do," Tali agrees, "good luck, Shepard." I follow the quarians out falling into pace next to Tali.

I clear my throat, "How've you been," I ask.

"Fine," she answers simply, I can't sense whether she's mad, disappointed, but she's most likely confused. "You," she asks.

"You didn't get my messages," I see a surprised look cross over her, nope she didn't. I take a deep breath, "Brace yourself," I warn her.

"What?"

I bring my right arm that I'd hidden the moment I entered the room. Every single quarian listening in gasped. They were looking at my three fingered geth arm. Quick like a band-aid . . . I hope. Then again they don't use band-aids anymore so what does that say about band-aids . . .

"Will," Tali asks, "what happened to you?"

I got caught," I answer simply with tone that said now wasn't the time.

She seems to want to push the subject. "All right," we begin moving. Several drones fly down on rooftops and take shots at us. I draw my Phalanx pistols for some pinpoint targeting. Everyone starts shooting, me and Tali get pinned behind a crate with several drones firing on us. I spot Veetor and several of the quarians take off.

"We've got to get there first," I hear him shout. I move out from behind cover firing shots at the drones each arm targeting a different one. Tali takes out another drone and we chase after Prazza.

"Catch them," Tali orders.

I speed up to the point I leave Tali in the dust. I catch up quickly with Prazza's squad. I run in between them and grab Prazza by the head and lift him off the ground. "Wait for us."

I hear a thudding noise . . . there aren't any T-rexs on Freedom's Progress, are there? I spot a YMIR mech turn the corner ahead of us. I drop Prazza and switch out to my Locusts. I spray the YMIR. "Cover!"

They scatter like leaves diving behind anything that can stop a bullet. I zig zag at high speeds making it difficult for the YMIR to keep up with me. If he shifts his attention to them, they'll die. I can't believe I'm risking my life for Prazza. I my Locusts run empty, and I swap them out for the Phalanxs. The YMIR sprays rounds all over the place. I manage to move out of its cone of fire.

I step up a crate and leap onto the YMIR's shoulders. I wrap my legs around the YMIR's 'neck' and put both of my Phalanx pistols point blank to its head. "Jackpot," I pull the trigger constantly until the guns stop shooting. The YMIR falls over . . . wait a minute don't they-

I leap back at the same instant the YMIR explodes launching through an open door into an area I recognize as the one you see Veetor at. I jump back up. Oh man, I can't hear! But the YMIR's down that means it's all-

I get interrupted by a massive arm that slams into me knocking me through the air. I hit the ground and slide. I spot the quarians all still hiding. That bastard Prazza holding his hand up keeping them back. I spot one run by the rest omni tool on, Tali? I weakly raise my arms and try to shoot. My pistols still empty click in response. The YMIR begins marching toward me. I can't reach around and grab my Incisor sniper rifle either. The YMIR is standing over me now, I feel the air drive from my lungs as it stomps its foot on my chest.

"I'm . . . not . . . gonna . . ." I stare up at the YMIR, it emotionlessly aims its machine gun arm straight at my head. Why me all the time?

I stare down the barrel. I shift, I hear a crack, that's a rib. I spot something flash on its arm, sparks? I watched several rounds, suddenly its arm exploded. It shifts to turn its gun to the new threat, I throw everything I have and shove it off me. While reeling from its leg rising, it's slammed by a grenade. I glance over and see Shepard, more pissed than I've ever seen her marching forward emptying her grenade launcher into the YMIR.

I'm a little scared of her now . . . and I'll admit more attracted to her. Oh come on, why does the universe through me a twist like this? What is wrong with me? I'm complaining because two women like me? I really need professional help . . . I try and get up, I feel an immense pain in my chest. I groan and lay back down. I try again and fight through the pain and get up to my feet.

I grin at Shepard, "What took you so long?"

"The door was locked," Shepard answers.

"Well thanks," I begin limping to the building I know Veetor is in.

"Rest," Shepard orders me. She looks over and sees the quarians start moving into the area. She walks straight up to Prazza, and knocks the shit out of him.

"Damn you took my idea," I say working my way over to a wall. I apply medigel to all my wounds. The pain in my chest lessens, maybe it's not that bad . . .

Shepard walks into the room Veetor's supposed to be in. I can't believe I saved that asshole Prazza. I see Tali walking over to me, "I'm- I'm sorry," she says to me.

"For what," I ask leaning back against the wall. Not to be cool but to have some extra support.

"Prazza . . . "

"He made his choices, he chose to be an ungrateful asshole . . . but Shepard seems to have shown him the error of his ways," I laugh, and groan. Ok still hurts a bit.

She turns away from me, "I've got to go," she says simply making it sound like a permanent farewell.

"See you when you get back," I say sliding down the wall, the impact of my butt hitting the ground sends pains through my chest.

"Yeah," she answers, walking over to the building Shepard is in.

Wait... why do I... feel... so tired... I feel my eyelids begin to close, "Have to tell..." Everything turns black.

* * *

**A/N: That's chapter five.**  
**Thing's seem to keep getting in Will's way right?  
Thanks to everyone for your support!  
And thank you to my reviewers! I pushes me further knowing people like reading this!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch. 6**

**Where thou art, that is home.**

**Author: Emily Dickinson**

I woke up with an annoying light in my face. "Ah, Doe," it was Chakwas' voice. "Good to see you're awake." She was standing over me typing on her omni tool.

"Too hurt to make jokes," I say dramatically.

She has one of those, I know you're faking frowns. "According to this all you have is a cracked rib, which has been set, so you'll be fine in a short while."

Funny how in the future a cracked rib isn't that big a deal . . . "Can I walk around," I ask.

"You're not wondering where you are?"

"You wanna tell me," I ask with a knowing grin.

"You are currently on board the Normandy SR-2," an all too familiar robotic voice says.

"Thank you EDI," I answer, some things I'll hide my knowledge . . . but I love telling people I haven't met I know their name . . . it always confuses them. I'm ten seconds away from freakin' out. This is awesome! I feel like I'm home . . . my second home is the Normandy no matter the generation . . .

I take a deep breath, the air was different here . . . " . . . you know that?" I missed EDI's question.

"Sorry I zoned out for a second there," I grin at the blue globe. "Could you repeat the question EDI?"

"How do you know my designation," she asks.

"Lucky guess," I grin more broadly. "I have a gift with important people's names." I realize I called EDI a person . . . she is one.

She pauses for a moment, which tells me somehow I've already affected her. "Will, Shepard wishes to see you." She winks out. She called me Will . . . guess I do have a way with the ladies . . . oh God I hope not . . . I mean, aliens and super human combat soldiers (Shepard) sure . . . but I think a battleship is a little more than I want. I laugh at my own thoughts . . .

"Mr. Doe," EDI pops back up, that didn't last long now did it? "Commander Shepard is waiting for you in the CIC."

"Right," I stand up and feel a slight twinge in my ribs. "How long've I been out?"

"Half a day," she answers. Half a day and only a twinge from broken ribs.

"Meds are amazing doc," I say waving over my shoulder as I pass through the door. I couldn't have imagined that ribs would heal so quickly . . . maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought . . . I'm not really an expert on injuries . . . no, I know when a bone breaks. That was a bad one, so why am I fine after waking after such a short time? Whatever . . . "Super medicine," I say to myself.

I reach the elevator, I look down, I was wearing a normal Cerberus crew uniform. I make a quick personalization ripping off the Cerberus logo. I step in the elevator and select the CIC.

I hum the Rocky theme, don't ask me why it came to mind it just did . . . I watch as the doors open and I'm immediately wowed. The tv screen doesn't do this place justice. It felt busier than in the game. Shepard was standing over the galaxy map, she was wearing the rust colored more casual out fit, the one that I always had my Shepard dress in. Well we are civilians now.

"Will," Shepard says brightening. "You're up."

"Takes more than that to keep me down," I laugh.

"I see you've personalized your uniform," Shepard says looking at my ripped off sleeves.

"I've got to stand out don't I," I grin.

I see her eyes drift over to my right arm, "Not too hard for you is it," she says wistfully.

What did that mean? "So where we headed?"

"The Citadel," she answers. A minor surprise . . . I usually got Zaeed, Garrus, Mordin, Jack, Grunt, then Kasumi in that order. Instead though it seems we're going to get Kasumi first. I hope I get to go on her loyalty mission that little black dress- Cut it out!

Stop thinking of Shepard that way stop thinking of Shepard that way. I let out deep breaths. A very cheery voice interrupts us, "Hello." I glance around for the origin . . . it's Kelly . . .

"H-hi," I say, but I'm not too good with straightforward cheery people.

"I'm Kelly Chambers," she says with a big smile . . . she's the one who loves everyone . . . I stare at her for a moment . . . wait, ok we're good. Nothing. Not that I expected anything . . . but never hurts to be certain.

"Will Doe," I say with a smile, her positive energy is infectious . . . like a disease . . .

"I know," she answers. "I've read through your file." She puts her hand on my shoulder, "You've been through a lot for a nineteen-year-old if you need to talk . . . "

I gently remove her hand from my shoulder, "I'm fine, I don't need a psychiatrist, and . . . " My stomach grumbles, "I'm hungry."

I step back in the elevator, "See you in the mess," I say waving to Shepard as the door closes.

"He likes you," Kelly says to Shepard.

"Hey . . . " the door cuts me off before I can start.

I have a bad feeling all of a sudden. But what is it. I'm getting a tray full of some . . . 'food' and about two seconds after I take a bite it hits me. Gardner can't cook worth . . . I sprint for the bathroom. The door slides open and I run in.

"Will Doe the mens room is on the port side of the ship," EDI says, I hear running water and feel steam . . . uh oh . . . several thrown toiletries, stammered apologies, and a bad bump on my head . . . I fell backwards and hit my head on the wall, later, I'm on the right side of the ship.

I need to remember not to eat Gardner's cooking, for my stomach's sake . . . and so I don't run in on the female crew showering . . . I exit the bathroom and find Shepard waiting for me.

"So you do know which side of the ship the men's bathroom is," she smirks.

"I didn't before hand," I remark nonchalantly. "Besides I was having an emergency." We get quiet just standing there . . . Kelly red my crush like a book and worst of all told Shepard! Maybe Shepard isn't interested in me? I'll let things work their way out. Worrying won't help any . . .

I clear my throat to cut through the quiet, "Where are we headed?"

"I'm going to meet with Anderson and the Council on the Citadel," she answers. The Citadel? I suppose it's a good idea to report in to the Council . . . not that they'll do anything . . . Maybe we can pick up Kasumi while we're there.

"Yes because we all know how helpful the Council is," I scoff. Didn't do jack when we warned them about Saren.

"Don't burn any bridges you don't have to," she answers.

That's wise, I guess I was just letting my emotions get the better of me. "You're right . . . like always," I sigh. Maybe this is why I get into trouble so much?

"Anderson has requested . . . both of us," Shepard adds.

I'm more than a little surprised, why would Anderson want to see me? I understand Shepard, she's important both personally and politically . . . me for all my bluster, I'm not that important. I really shouldn't be pulled into political stuff . . . "I'll get dressed," I say heading for the armor lockers. I pause, "Where's my stuff at?"

"Up in the armory," she tells me leading me to the elevator. "I'll show you the way."

"You always do," I grin. She smiles back. Oh crap . . . I really need to cut back on words like that . . . I'm giving Shepard the signals I don't want to! The elevator chimes and opens. A hundred years and elevator music is still boring . . .

The door opens and we head into the armory. Jacob's there reassembling an Avenger assault rife blind folded. Damn that's something miles beyond me . . . "Jacob," Shepard says interrupting his practice.

He pauses for an instant, and takes off his blindfold. "Yes Shepard," Jacob asks.

"Where's Will's things," she asks.

"Locker seven," he answers. Woot, seven's my lucky number. Since I was born on July seventh, the seventh day of the seventh month.

I head over to the locker and pull my armor out, "My guns," I ask.

"I was getting around to maintenance," he answers, he gestures with his head. I follow the gesture and my weapons are all very respectfully laid out.

"Ok, then . . . " I pause, "how about a changing room?"

"Modest," Shepard asks.

"I'm shy," I answer. She laughs at that. I'm wondering whether or not to take offense at that.

"There isn't one," Shepard laughs. "You can change here," she suggests. I sigh, just like putting on gym clothes. I pull my shirt off, and I'm very self-conscious while doing so. "A lot has happened to you since I've been gone," she comments almost solemnly.

"I've survived," blushing a bit under her scrutiny. I throw my armor on faster than I've ever dressed before. I buckle my knife and sheathe around my waist. I felt more like me with my stuff back. "Don't you have some Commandering to be doing?"

"I've selected the destination," she says shrugging, "not much else to do til we get there."

"Get to know the newbies better," I grin. It's awesome that because I've been with Shepard I know, mostly, how things'll go.

"I wouldn't mind catching up with you first," she insists with force. Shepard's nice and will protect the innocent at any cost . . . but she can be scary . . . so that 'I wouldn't mind,' turns into 'do it or else . . . ' at least to me . . .

"All right, shoot."

"How have you been," she asks. How have I been? I've been going through the worst year of my life til Shepard woke up.

"Surviving," I answer, not a real answer to that kind of question but it's what fits what I've been doing the best.

We walk out, having achieved our objective of getting my armor. "It was nice seeing Tali again," she remarks after I grow quiet.

"Yeah," I'm horrible in these kinds of social situations . . . "I haven't seen her since I helped her out on her pilgrimage," I add. "Though, I imagined a more emotional greeting," I mutter.

"What happened to Liana," Shepard asks suddenly.

I flatline... not literally but it feels close. My body starts to feel heavy, I feel my eyes turn a bit misty... damn it it's been half a year, why am I still like this? "She's dead," I answer, to me at least.

Shepard grows solemn, "I see." She has to be dead to me, if not what am I? That I miss those who betray me, that I still care about her well being... what's wrong with me?

"Sorry to cut this talk short, but I need a nap," I fake a yawn. I speed away from Shepard. I get in the elevator and go down to engineering, it's silent as a grave. Good, I need some quiet. I hide down in what will be Jack's area on the ship. Truth be told it's a bit creepy quiet down here. I lie down on the floor. I'm still a tiny bit tired. I suppose...

* * *

**A/N: Not much action... Unless you imagine when Will opened the wrong door... I always thought it was strange that they didn't have a lock on that bathroom door... or curtains for the people in the shower...**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Ch. 7... meeting with the Council... yay...**

**

* * *

Ch. 7**

**In politics stupidity is not a handicap.**

**Author: Napoleon I. Bonaparte**

Well after I woke up from my nap, I found out we were very near to docking with the Citadel. I sprint up to the CIC, Shepard's already there in full armor.

"I was just about to hunt you down," Shepard says slightly relieved. "We're about to dock with the Citadel, and I want you there with me."

"Got it boss," I smile. I turn and head for the armory. "Gettin' my guns." I head into the room and notice all my guns, my two Phalanx pistols, two Locust SMGs and Incisor sniper rifle were all lined up on the table nearest the door. "Jacob's not here," I remark to myself seeing the unoccupied room. I holster the pistols and SMGs around my waist, and slip the sniper rifle on my back.

I walk back out to the CIC, Shepard still standing there waiting for me.

"Will," Shepard gets my attention, "let's move." I fall into step behind her.

"Roger that," I say seriously. I spot her glance over her shoulder at me. I can't read her expression though. We cycle through the airlock and catch a ride. We're in line for customs.

"Sucks that with your death you lost your Spectre status," I sigh looking ahead of the line.

"Just bear with it," Shepard sighs along side me, her arms are crossed and she's tapping her finger. The line crawls forward, I swear it's so slow I nearly fall asleep standing up... Finally we reach the front desk.

Shepard flies through, I come up next. "Name," the human customs agent asks.

"Will Doe," I answer.

He writes it down, "Reason for your visit?"

"Business," I answer yawning.

"Go on through."

I'm standing in the scan room. "How are you today sir," the turian behind the controls asks.

"Fine," I reply.

"You wouldn't believe who just passed through," he says in a slightly quieter tone.

"Really," I grin. Wow a gossipy agent.

"Commander Shepard," he says smug in the awesomeness of his knowledge.

"Wasn't she dead," I play along.

"Yeah... no its gotta be a glitch," he starts talking into his comm, "not twice in a... got it." "Please go through sir," he gestures the door opens.

I walk through Shepard is standing there tapping her foot waiting. "This one of your men Shepard," the C-sec captain... I think his name was Bailey...

"Yes."

"Did you know he was dead?"

No one was more surprised than me. "What," I shout speeding over to his desk. "I haven't even heard that."

"About a year back," he says reading it off his holo screen.

I was captured by the Owner nearly a year back... "How?"

"Your body was discovered in a warehouse," he answers, "you were identified by a girlfriend..."

Shepard glances over at me, I try to hide my face. "Name," Shepard asks.

"Liana," he answers, "didn't give a last name..."

"Don't need it," I interrupt, "I know her." "Can you fix this," I ask.

"Since you're with Shepard I could give you the same deal," he says hitting a button on his console. "There you go you're alive again." It's weird to be told that... even weirder that the whole time I've been dead... "you'd better report to the Council," Bailey advises us.

"It's why we're here," Shepard says heading for the rapid transit station. A cab ride later we're in Anderson's office.

"You'd think the revival of the savior of the galaxy would warrant the big room," I mutter.

Shepard doesn't answer, but Anderson greets us.

"Commander," he says holding his hand out, Shepard shakes it. "Doe," he extends his right hand. I flinch a bit.

"No offense," I say unveiling my right arm momentarily. His eyes widen microscopically.

"I see," his hand drops to his side.

"Now that the pleasantries are done with," the asari councillor makes herself known, "the matter at hand."

"Yes, many rumors surround your return," the salarian councillor adds, "some of them are... unsettling."

"Which one of us are you talking to," I ask to clarify.

"Both of you," the turian councillor deadpans.

"I feel all warm and fuzzy the almighty Council pays attention to me..." I mutter.

"We called this meeting so you could explain your actions," the asari councillor ignores me, "both of you, we owe you that much." "After all you," she looks Shepard in the eye, "saved our lives in the battle against Saren and his geth."

"Soveriegn," I cut in, "and his geth." They always seem to mistake that little detail.

They continue to ignore me, "The Collectors are abducting human colonist in the Terminus Systems, worse," oh god even Shepard makes dramatic pauses, "we think they're working for the Reapers."

"The Terminus systesm are beyond our jurisdiction," the turian councillor replies, "your colonists knew this when they left Council space."

"You're missing the important part," Anderson points out, "the Reapers are involved."

"Ah yes..." oh no it's air quotes time, " 'Reapers'," God I wish he was coporeal so I could punch him, "the race of sentient machines alledgedly waiting in dark space." "We have dismissed those claims," he waves it off as if swatting at an annoying bug.

"Shepard, no one else has encountered the hologram on Ilos that told you the turht about the Reapers," Anderson explains to a simmering Shepard. "Only you and your crew ever spoke with Sovereign," he adds placatingly. "I believe you," he adds quickly, "but without evidence from another source, the others think that Saren was behind the geth attacks."

"I kept Saren from conquering the Citadel," Shepard says calmly... but if you know her you know she's really pissed, "I sacrificed human lives to save this Council."

"Apparently that's where we went wrong," I mumble.

"We are in a difficutlt posisition Shepard," the asari councillor explains, "you're working for Cerberus, an avowed enemy of the Council." She gets a sad tone in her voice, "This is treason, a capital offense."

I was about to jump so far down her throat I'd... I'm gonna stop that analogy there... Anderson get's there first, "That's too far," he says with a hard edge, "Shepard is a hero." "I'm on this Council too and I won't let this whitewash continue."

"Maybe there is a compromise," the asari councillor placates, "not a public acknowledgment, given your ties, but something to show peripheral support."

"Shepard if you keep a low profile and restrict your operations to the Terminus Systems, the Council is willing to offer you reinstatement as a Spectre."

"What does that mean," Shepard asks, "will I need to start filing reports?"

"That won't be necessary," the salarian councillor answers, either missing or ignoring the sarcasm in Shepard's voice. "This is merely a show of good faith on our part."

"We cannot directly get involved in an instigation regarding the missing colonies in the Terminus Systems." "Your Spectre reinstatement shows our support for you personally," the asari councillor finishes.

"I accept your offer," Shepard says.

"Good luck with your investigation Shepard." "We hope for a quick resolution," the asari councillor adds, "and a quick end to your relationship with Cerberus."

"Now," the turian councillor draws attention to himself, "Mr. Doe."

"Now I'm in the hotseat," I say not all that nervous. If they try anything I'll just disapear. Reapear on the Normandy and never see the Citadel again... that would actually make me sad. Asshole politicians aside it's one of my favorite places.

"Due to your assitance in the Saren matter we felt it would be faster to explain yourself alongside your Commander," the asari councillor responds.

"I feel all warm and fuzzy," I reiterate my comment from before.

"Why are you working for Cerberus."

"I really don't see a point to this," I scoff, Shepard wasn't gonna be an ass to these people I'll just have to. Though I've gotta admit my hearts hammering, not that it's showing on my face.

"We are extending a courtesy..." the turian councillor begins.

"Really, I'm so sorry, were you capture for near on half a year experimented on then freed yourself, then forced to work for an organization that violates your basic moral beliefs and lose your right arm?" "Then been treated like a criminal?" Everyone in the room stares at me stunned by my outburst. "No, then fuck off." I don't know where all that came from...

I actually managed to get them to shut up... I feel increasingly nervous now... "It seems there are... extenuating circumstances," the salarian councillor the first to speak. They wink out. I don't think they've been told that since they became the Council. I nearly collapse.

"I was so scared there for a minute," I say breathing heavily. I lie down, "Can I nap here?"

Everyone just moves on from my episode, "Well that went better than I expected," he glances over at me, "almost."

"I'm very sorry," I say from my position on the floor.

"You realize the Council's offer is purely symbolic," Anderson points out, "they won't actually do anything."

"Not that they've done anything for us before," I don't know when to shut up.

"Will," Shepard says. Though I swear she's laughing somewhere on the inside. "Even if they don't help I might as well stay on good terms," she says turning to Anderson.

"Ture enough, don't worry about the Council or the Alliance," Anderson says, "I'll find some way to keep them off your back." "Shouldn't be too hard as long as you keep to the Terminus Systems."

I've realized Shepard saying my name was an order to shut up so all I can do is think my comments to myself, but she couldn't have forseen the person who just walked in... I could though.

"Anderson we need to talk about..." he notices the Councillor has company, "Shepard what are you doing here." Introducing the biggest jackass in Mass Effect. Donnel Udina...

"Planning your demise," I mutter. Shepard looks at me stern look on her face but a laugh in her eyes.

"Not used to seeing ghosts," Shepard asks, "Udina," I swear she spits his name out. A woman after my own... and here I was doing so well having casual thoughts about Shepard...

"I'd heard you were alive... both of you," he shoots a glare in my direction, I return it sincerely. "But I didn't expect to see you back on the Citadel."

I jump to my feet, "I'm out of here."

"Will," Shepard asks.

"I perfer my company to be less back stabby," I answer. I'm still pissed whenever I see his face. He nearly caused the end of the galaxy to further his own career.

"The negative feelings are mutual," he responds. "Anderson we're going to talk about this," he says with a tone of command.

"No we're not," Anderson deadpans somehow straightening his ramrod straight posture more. "I'm in charge here not you," Udina looks on the verge of screaming, "maybe you should go to your office and think about that."

Udina grumbles something and leaves.

"Ok it was worth staying in the same room just to see that," I grin.

Shepard and Anderson move over to the balcony to continue talking, meanwhile I just take a seat. I brood over my utter loss of control, I'm gonna be assassinated I just know it... I couldn't help it being treated like a criminal after all the shit I've gone through, it got to me...

"...If you ever want to talk I'll be here," I hear Anderson say. Shepard turns towards me motions and heads for the door. I stand up from a seated position.

"Later Councillor," I say following Shepard out. We can look around the Presidium now! I mean you don't know how I missed being able to do that... it's strange but I loved being able to go to all the different places. Of course since Shepard's steering I still don't get to see any other places...

Shepard leads me around until finally we stop in front of an advertisement with Kasumi's face on it. "Commander Shepard enter the enter the password and receive a free gift."

"Silence is golden," Shepard says clearly.

"But duck tape is silver," I mumble... a reflex ever since I got a T shirt with that saying on it.

"Good to finally meet you Commander Shepard," Kasumi replies. "Kasumi Goto," she introduces herself. "I'm a big fan."

"You know what you're getting yourself into, right," Shepard asks.

"I do, and I'm surprised I wasn't approached sooner," Kasumi says almost indignantly. "My fault for being hard to find I guess..."

Ok time for fame check, "Do you know me," I ask pulling my hood down.

"Will Doe?"

"So knowing Shepard does make you famous," I laugh pulling my hood back up.

"No not too many people wear hoods any more," she laughs.

"Surprised I haven't heard of you," Shepard interupts the small and completly innocent conversation... I don't know I just didn't feel anything talking to Kasumi.

"I'm the best thief in the business, not the most famous," Kasumi responds, "need to watch my step to keep it that way."

"Why all the cloak and dagger?"

"I wanted to make sure you were legit," Kasumi answers Shepard, "now I'm certain you're the real Commander Shepard."

"I wasn't enough of a clue," I ask with a small laugh.

"Bad rumors," was her only answer. Rumors?

"So you're in," Shepard preempts our conversation.

"Of course," Kasumi answers. I glance up to the point I know she's hiding at. I tap my chest and vanish. "You do know about the mission right?"

I leap up and catch hold of the ledge, I silently pull myself up. I sneak up behind Kasumi. "...won't even have to draw your gun."

"That's always nice," I say from behind her.

She turns suddenly, "Not bad."

"Thanks." I grin.

"Back to the ship." "Will down... now," Shepard orders pointing at the ground to emphasize her point.

"Woof." "Time to go," I add to Kasumi jumping down from the scaffolding. One down... nine to go...

* * *

**A/N: 9 crew if you were wondering... I want to write more action! Writing action is fun, because I get to visualize this... it's not too fun visualizing people talking... It was fun visualizing the shower part... wait I didn't say that!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry this one took so long... **

**Ch. 8**

**A man can hide all things, excepting twain- That he is drunk, and that he is in love.  
Author: Antiphanes of Macedonia**

**Source: Fragmenta**

I had to make a quick stop before returning to the Normandy. "What are we doing here," Shepard asks. We were in what amounts to a grocery store on the Citadel.

"Buying edible things," I answer.

"A chore for Gardner," she asks.

"No, I just wanted to get some stuff I like to eat," I answer, the memory of my vomit emergency taking me into the women's shower... wait I think that might have been the good part. "Why did you come with me anyways?" "I'm a big boy I can get my stuff on my own." That's what my mouth is saying a part of my brain is asking does this count as a date? Another part is arguing that it isn't and well too many voice talking at once makes me confused...

I picked up several ingredients including the ones on Gardner's list. It's all automated so all I really had to do was push the right buttons. I set our dock number in for delivery and immediately the bags were transported back to the ship. We head back to the Normandy.

"Say goodbye to the Citadel," Shepard says glancing over her shoulder. She didn't look too disappointed. Though getting far away from the Council is pretty high on my list too. It's a little annoying, I can understand the Council's... dumbassness on a intellectual level, but it still pisses me off to have our word doubted... wait did I just say I have an intellectual level?

"Goodbye Citadel," I shout heading into the Normandy. I glance at Shepard, she has an exasperated look on her face. A look that said I didn't mean it... I laugh like always.

"Just get on the damn ship," she orders crossly... I'm pretty sure she's laughing inside, or thinking 'what an idiot...' I don't know which one I want her doing more...

"Meeting in the conference room," Shepard informs me heading to the elevator. "Ten minutes."

"Roger," I salute.

"Change out of your armor," she orders as the door closes cutting off any chance of argument. She's an expert at canceling out even the chance of arguing...

"Sir yes sir," I mumble dropping the salute. Great now where am I gonna find clothes that fit me in space... Well there was that outfit from before. "EDI," I ask the air.

The nearest projector turns on and EDI's avatar appears, "Yes Mr. Doe." I don't really like being called Mr. Doe it just makes me feel weird.

"Any place I can get a change of clothes?"

"Deck three has your uniform prepared," EDI answers. "It has been repaired." She sounded almost mad at me for ripping off the sleeves.

"Thank you very much EDI," I push the elevator button and tap my foot. Her blue image fades out. I put the shuffle on in my head and out comes... It's a small world! Why am I humming It's a small world? That song is possibly the most annoying one in two dimensions! You'd agree if you've been on the ride in Disney. Oh great it's stuck in my head now... I'm gonna go freakin' crazy! Wait what was I doing?

The elevator door opens. Oh right the uniform. It's a small world after- Quit it damnit! I select the third deck. I continue to hum that annoying song trying to get it out of my system. I swear I'm gonna go insane... I walk out of the elevator into the crew quarters where several napping members of the crew were, I notice the table in the center of the room has my uniform on it. I quickly throw it changing at near lightspeed to decrease the chance of someone walking in on me. I rip my sleeves off again and this time lay them down on the table, so they can find them. I head back out and hit the call button on the elevator. It's a small world... I hate my brain sometimes.

The elevator door opens and... oh great it's Kelly. "Hi Will how are you today," she says wearing a genuine smile. She's too happy, that sounds a little mean but... she is. I have problems with cheery people, who are genuinely cheery.

"Fine," I answer tersely. I'm trying to send signals that I don't want to talk to you right now.

"That's nice to hear," she's still smiling at me. Great... message not received. "How are you fitting in?"

"Fine," I respond, "and if I haven't said it already no psycho analyzing me and no being buddy buddy." I almost felt bad being mean to someone trying hard to be so nice... I haven't met many genuinely nice people since I got here so it weirds me out. "Sorry," I gave in to the bad feeling.

I swear her smile never wavered for an instant. I'm wondering if she's not just the best actress I've met to date... she would actually be the second... never mind. Great now I'm in a dour mood. "It's alright," she finishes. "That aside," her smile turns slightly mischievous, "you like Shepard." She says in that childish accusing way, like she's about to start singing, Will and Shepard sitting in a tree...

I blush, "No way," I shout maybe a little too vehemently. "That's crazy she's my commander."

I hear footsteps, I turn quickly, "So you like Shepard," oh no it's Kasumi and she sounds like she loves hearing gossip. Oh no...

"No I don't," I argue more insistently.

"You can tell us," Kasumi continues. They're crowding me now, oh great I'm gonna be double teamed...

"No I can't because I don't," I add crossing my arms, "read my body language... I'm not!" I may have pushed Kelly out of the elevator a little roughly, and I may have hit the door close button, but damnit they wouldn't stop insisting. "Sorry about pushing you," I say before the door closes. I don't know whenever I was mean to Kelly it was like picking on a little kid. I know one of them is going to end up trying something in the end. I sigh, why can't I just go from A to B... why does C and D keep popping up then there's E and don't get me started about F... wait what was I talking about again?

Whatever, meeting time. It's gonna be dull on this ship, until more interesting people get here. Kasumi's interesting but... I just didn't want to talk to her. Especially now that she thinks... knows I like Shepard. Ah speaking of the angel of beauty... was that too much? Maybe... am I getting worse rather than better?

"You're early," Shepard says surprised. I was never really punctual, but the surprise might be a bit much.

"There's nothing else to do so I thought I'd nap here," I grin as she rolls her eyes.

"It's always naps with you," She smile and takes her position at the head of the table. I stand directly to her right.

"OK I have a question," I pause for a moment, "they spent billions of credits, to bring you back, right?"

"Yes," Shepard answers, "why?"

"Humor me for a minute," I continue, "then they build a brand new ship, crew it and give a super AI, right?"

"Seeing as your standing in it yes they did," she seems curious to know what I'm gonna say next.

"And they couldn't put frickin' chairs in the conference room!" I say looking as indignant as I can, and Shepard breaks out into laughter. Then I realize what I'd been saying, I stop my act and look downtrodden. Why didn't I like her when I first met her... Kaiden that was it. They were built similarly, both being military, they'd known each other for a while and obviously had feelings for each other... then she lost him...

Jacob, Kasumi and Miranda came in mercifully quickly, before I said anything that could be misconstrued as flirting. Miranda of course had her air of I'm perfect you're not, Kasumi just kind of appeared with a crackling noise as her cloak wore off, and Jacob... walked in. Jacob and Miranda stood on the opposite side from me and Kasumi.

"I see you personalized your uniform... again," Miranda says with audible disdain. Oh no I've harmed something with her precious Cerberus logo on it.

"That logo starts to burn after a little while," I grin mischeviously.

"Can we focus on the business at hand," Shepard asks putting both hands on the table and, interrupting what was going to be the beginning of a beautiful conversation.

"Where to next," I ask, asking if that was the business not asking where we were going next.

"We're going to Omega," she answers. I'm not exactly excited with this news... I mean I got shot the last time I was there, you don't usually like returning to those places.

"I hate Omega," I mutter under my breath. I notice Kasumi grinning at me... she heard me apparently.

"I haven't been there before," Shepard confides in us. "So I'll need a good idea of what it's like."

"Imagine the biggest, sleaziest, most violent city you can think of," I say painting a picture, moving my left hand to illustrate my right arm down at my side by reflex. "Then imagine someone rerouted sewage and there was a breakout in a maximum security prison, then multiply that by a hundred and you'll get something close to Omega."

"I find myself agreeing with Doe on this," Miranda says almost reluctantly.

"I've only been there once or twice," Jacob adds, "his descriptions about right." I nod sort of surprised at them agreeing with me. I expected Miranda to deny me on principle.

"Sounds like fun," Shepard says with her soldier face on. The face she had when she sighted a target and was about to squeeze the trigger, a face that sends her enemies to their deaths... I feel sorry for Omega.

"I know someone who can give us any info we need," I add... I'll tell Shepard about Aria, at least if she doesn't already know.

"You have a contact on Omega," Shepard asks her face showing she was impressed.

"Not exactly... I just happened to know someone with a lot of information."

"That would be a contact," a smile flashes across her face. Her face changes back to business mode, "Name?"

"Aria T'loak," I answer and I hear a low whistle from Jacob, a gasp from Miranda and another low whistle from Kasumi.

"You know the queen of Omega," Kasumi asks surprised and very impressed.

"I was looking for something..." Wrex and his armor flash through my mind for a moment. Oh crap I lost my omni tool with the cure data on it... That's bad very very bad, he's gonna be pissed. Now I'm a little frightned after all that assurance that... "I never go back on my word!" then I lose the data, he's gonna kill me! He won't care about the... I glance down at my right arm... extenuating circumstances.

"... Kasumi, and Will you're with me," Shepard finishes saying while I was off in my own little world. So I guess me and Kasumi are Shepard's Omega team... is it me or does Omega team sound kinda cool?

"Gotcha," Kasumi acknowledges.

"Roger roger," I add my acknowledgment. I glance around, Miranda's not happy being left out and Jacob seems to understand. Though I would've though Shepard would've gone with at least one biotic... Though our only biotics right now are Cerberus, maybe that's it a non-Cerberus team. Shepard's mistrustful of Cerberus regardless of their current motives... good because I don't know how I'd react if Shepard joined with Cerberus in the end. I worked with Cerberus for survival, and now because Shepard's back... I won't work for them anymore, I don't want to turn this awesome galaxy into a kingdom for that jackass TIM.

"We should arrive in eight hours, get some rest," Shepard says looking me and Kasumi in our eyes in turn. "Dismissed," she finishes. Jacob nods, Miranda just walks out, Kasumi... winks at me and disappears. Now I'm alone with Shepard.

I clear my throat, I want to know where Shepard stands on Cerberus. "I wanted to talk to you," I answer Shepard's almost questioning glance, she had dropped her military face after everyone else left. She seemed to show more emotion to me. Great... well back to the conversation.

"What is it," she asks a faint concern in her voice.

"Cerberus," I answer, "I don't like 'em." I cross my arms resolutly.

"You worked for them though," Shepard asks surprised at the topic though seemingly relieved nothing was really wrong.

"It was survival," I answer glancing at my arm. "I wanted a choice any other choice..." I remember telling Jacob I would've joined them anyways... just to be near... her... just how much do I like Shepard? She's the one I thought of for safety... I might've been just as safe in the Migrant Fleet with Tali... I shake the thoughts away, "I want to know how you feel about them."

"I don't trust them but we're working together," Shepard pauses, "for now."

I accept this and walk towards the door, "All right Shepard, night." I head for a place to get some sleep.

* * *

**A/N: I must apologize a thousand times for how late this one was... My computer got cleaned out then I lost this chapter and had to upload a new program to type with and writer's block... all at the freakin' same time! and that's the excuse of the week...**

**I'll try to get Ch. 9 out faster. On to life... does that really make sense? On to life not the excuse... review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Chapter 9 is now out... obviously...

* * *

**

**Ch. 9**

**In life there are meetings which seem Like a fate.  
Author: Lord Lytton (Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton) ("Owen Meredith")**

So today's nap area is... the lab! Nobody comes in here and so that means no one will bother me... So hopefully I'll get enough sleep to dream... and well you know that means future-sight.

I lie down on what I'm hoping is a cot... but might be a dissection table... I may change napping areas. I roll off the table and thud to the floor on purpose, I lie on the floor. Nap time.

_I'm in an empty room dozens of spent thermal clips litter the floor, a mass opening overlooks a bridge... the Archangel mission? A blinding light blocks my vision the sounds of engines roaring, machines guns chattering, a woman screaming my name. "Shi-..."_

"-T!" I sit up. That's bad I always wake up at the bad parts. It was bad enough that what I was saying in the dream I also said in real life...

I hear the door to the lab open, it's Kelly.

"Sup," I ask sitting up.

"Sup?"

"What's up," I say more clearly and a little more awake.

"I heard screaming," she answers looking around. Wow if I'm screaming I'd expect a commando team not... Kelly. I mean if it's making me scream then there's not much Kelly'd be able to do.

"Nightmares," I answer, "and no they don't have anything to do with my childhood, love life, personal life, any missions I've been on or any other current experiences." I smile while saying letting her know I was kidding around.

"What was it about," Kelly asks, "the way you yelled it must've been scary." She wants to know, I think it's because she thinks she'll be able to help me... Not likely, I mean they're visions of the future aren't they? I could change this one simple enough, I don't go on the Archangel mission then none of that happens... I'm going anyways though...

"Nothin'," I lie, and she knows it too. I look away from her, "I'll deal with it."

"If you ever need to talk..." she leaves it hanging, I know what she means... if I ever need to talk she'll listen. She walks back out slightly defeated. I hate being mean to women... unless it's funny.

I muster up the will to stand, I stretch and after a yawn head off to explore for a bit. I notice the hatch Joker uses to change decks, I head down through it. I pop out in life support, same place Joker did. It's empty, of course it is. It's only inhabitant will be Thane. I walk out and follow Joker's path just for fun. I enter the infirmary, Chakwas looks up from her computer.

"Is something wrong," she asks looking me over.

"Just passing through," I answer and pass through the door to the AI core. I slide down the ladder in there and make my way to Jack's hidey hole... or what will be Jack's hidey hole. I climb up the stairs and arrive behind the door to the engineering area... where Tali's area will be. Tali... I want to see her again, maybe if she's here I can focus on her and my Shepard crush'll fade away.

Currently it's occupied by Gabby and Ken. I'm silent as a ghost... I want to listen in.

"I've got green across the board, forward tanks are buoyant and elevated," Gabby informs Ken.

"Are you talking about the Normandy or Miranda," he asks not looking up from his console and laughing at his own joke.

"I'm talking about the ones that's covered and protected not bouncing in the breeze," she answers.

"I don't know Operative Lawson's uniform is very official," Ken responds, "it always makes me stand at attention." He snickers.

"You're such a dog," Gabby responds dryly.

My laughter gives me away. "Who's there," Ken asks.

"Me," I answer stepping out. I hold out my right hand, "Will Doe." I figured they'd like to see my right hand more than my left... seeing as ninety percent of technical people went insane to study it... apparently Legion is dozens of times more advanced than other geth.

She shakes my hand and seems to somehow examine the 'muscles' it uses... I don't know the technical crap so I'll just use the biological equivalent... did I just say biological equivalent? Those were big words, am I degrading myself too much?

I break the grip, every tech savvy human I've met wants to dissect my right arm... maybe disassemble is a better word... "You are?"

"Gabriella Daniels," she answers, "call me Gabby." Kenneth notices the introductions and walks over. I shake his hand too.

"Kenneth Donnely," he shakes my hand too, he doesn't attempt to study my arm though. "What brings you down here?"

"Just walking around and figured I'd introduce myself," I answer. Truth be told I always though Ken and Gabby were hilarious... though it didn't take much to make me laugh... "I'll get out of your hair."

"Right then, see you around," Kenneth says turning back to his console. I walk out the door and stop and put my ear the door. Whenever my Shep walked away they had something to say. I hear nothing but the pseudo clacking... seeing as most keyboards were holographic they had a noise when you typed for more effect...

I'm beginning to think they're not as talkative as in the game. Then they start talking tech and engineery stuff that stuff bores me to tears... that should show how much I like Tali sitting there and looking like I enjoyed it when she talked. I enjoyed her voice not the subject... So no fun here...

As I was walking towards the elevator EDI's avatar pops up so suddenly I jump a little. "What the..."

"Mr. Doe, Commander Shepard is looking for you," she informs me.

"Thanks, where is she?"

"On the second deck in the armory," EDI answers.

"Thanks EDI," I open the elevator.

"You are welcome Mr. Doe," EDI's hologram winks out. It just occurred to me in the game she called Jacob, Operative Taylor and Miranda Operative Lawson... why am I Mr. Doe... I'll ask her next time.

I select my floor and begin tapping my foot. I wonder if I should buy a karaoke machine... why I'm wondering that I have no idea but I am... the door opens to the CIC on deck 2. I'm treated to the amazing view that never gets old, the floating holographic SR-2 the many people moving around and the few sitting and typing on their consoles. I step out, I wave at Kelly who turned when the elevator opened, and went into the Armory.

Shepard's already suited up in her black N7 armor. My gear is laid out on the table in front of her. "Hello," I call entering.

She looks up from my armor and flashes a small smile, "You're awake."

I match her smile, "Unfortunately," I say with a fake sigh.

"Get dressed and let's move out," Shepard orders walking out. Wait she's giving me privacy? Not like last time where I changed in front of her? Maybe it was the scars... thinking about how she wasn't there to prevent them... maybe I shouldn't try and see inside of other peoples heads. I throw on my armor, and put all my weapons in their right places. Swish my cloak out to look cool to no one... and headed out.

Kasumi's standing there with Shepard, "First order of business?"

"A bounty hunter named Zaeed Massani," Shepard answers.

"Met him," I cut into the conversation. "Of course I was the bounty."

"From what I hear he's got a reputation as the best," Shepard says. "How'd you get away from him?"

"I ran," I answer simply and truthfully. "Of course I had Tali with me so I was a bit slowed down."

"You just ran away," Shepard asks.

"Then got cornered and lost in a close range fight," I add, "his experience was his advantage, he seemed able to read my moves enough to stay out of my way."

"Well we'll recruit him and field test him," Shepard ends the conversation heading for the cockpit.

"Sixty credits he has a mission for us to do for him," I call out suddenly seeing money to be made... and I'll admit being a little bored with the usual routine.

"No deal," both Kasumi and Shepard say at the same time. I smile and we walk towards the airlock spirits high, All excited... then the door opened to the station.

"I forgot how much I hated it here," I say after one step off the ship.

"You haven't told me what happened last time," Shepard says suddenly, she looks cross with herself for not asking earlier... but I might be misreading her...

"Walk and talk," I suggest.

"Sure," Shepard and Kasumi crowd a little closer to me to hear better. Wait we're at the entrance shouldn't we get greeted by...

"Ah welcome to Omega," the salarian gives such horrible news with such cheer... "You're new here," he observes. "I can always tell, allow me to-" On cue the batarian arrives, "Oh..." the salarian's enthusiasm is gone now. "Moklan, I was just..."

"Leave Fargut," the batarian apparently named Moklan orders, "now." His voice is even and cold...

"Of course Moklan whatever you say, whatever she wants," the salarian half runs away. She huh... gotta be Aria... of course I already know that seeing as I know what this guy says next.

"Blasted scavengers," he says watching the salarian run away. "Welcome to Omega," and of course like everyone else in the galaxy he takes a dramatic pause, "Shepard."

"You know me," Shepard asks.

"Aria's people know everyone," I explain. "We should pay her a courtesy visit," I add just to cut this guy out of the conversation permanently.

"She's expecting you," Moklan adds shooting a glare at me, "and you don't want to disapoint her.

""We'll go see her," Shepard assures him.

"Now," he orders, he stalks off to do whatever it was po'd batarians did.

"So my story... I got Garrus, Wrex, and Tali in a shuttle..."

We continue down the hall and hear a weak cry, "Please help me..." I spot Zaeed still in that yellow armor, looking scarred and old.

"No one said you could talk, jackass," and seems grandpa's cranky. Zaeed hits his batarian prisoner in the stomach.

"You Zaeed Massani," Shepard asks. Seems like my story has been sidelined...

"Yeah that's me," he looks at Shepard and his glance passes over to me. I grin and mouth, 'told you so.' "You must be Commander Shepard," he ignores me, "I hear we have a galaxy to save."

"I assume you've been briefed," Shepard asks.

He nods, "I've done my homework." "Cerberus sent me everything I need to know," he adds.

"Good to have your aboard," Shepard says stepping forward. I step with her. She shakes his hand, "We have a lot to do."

"That's what they tell me," he pulls out his pistol. He gestures for his prisoner to stand, "I assume the Illusive Man told you about our arrangement," he glances at me for a millisecond. There's a lot of assuming going around.

"No I guess he decided to leave that information out of the dossier," Shepard answers sounding annoyed.

Zaeed lets out a wry half laugh, "Good thing I asked." He glances at me again, "Picked up a mission a little while back, before I signed on with Cerberus," he's not looking at Shepard he's looking right at me. He looks back at Shepard, "Thought you might be interested." "You heard of Vido Santiago," he asks. Shepard shakes her head.

Hah my prediction came true and now he's wondering what else I might know.

"He's the head of the blue suns," he explains, "runs the whole organization." "Seems he recently captured an Eldfell Ashland refinery on Zorya." Shepard, and I can see it in her eyes, knows where this is going. "He's using their workers for slave labor," Zaeed doesn't seem to like slavery... "The company wants it dealt with."

"I'll make sure we get it done," Shepard assures him.

Zaeed nods, "Good, get it out of the way so we can concentrate on being..."

I interrupt him, "Big goddamn heroes." Let's let him think I know the future who knows what fun I can have with that. The batarian seeing Zaeed distracted makes a run for it, Zaeed's pistol is up and firing before anyone can say anything. One shot right in the 'arse.' The prisoner collapse with a groan.

"I better turn this thing in before it starts to stink," he heads to the batarian. "I'll be locked and loaded the next time you need some killing done." He walks off carrying the batarian.

"He's pleasant," Kasumi comments. I grin at the observation.

"OK so before we were interrupted, it was me, Tali, Wrex, Garrus and a ship..."

* * *

**A/N: So we've got the DLC people out of the way... now things will start getting fun...**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: It's out... sorry for the wait.**

* * *

**Ch. 10**

**To have command is to have all the power you will ever need. To have all the power you will ever need, is to have the world in the palm of you hand.  
Author:Tiberius Caesar**

The door to Omega opens before us and we get a good view of it... if there is such a thing. Afterlife's pulsing music the faint smell of death and the sight of Aria's club Afterlife. Shepard intterupts my story to ask for directions. "Where's Aria?"

"See that massive building infront of us with the pulsing music, that's Aria's club," I answer, "you'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy..." I quote one of my favorite movies.

"Glad it's our first stop then," Shepard remarks wryly. I grin at her mood.

"The view's nice though."

"The view," Shepard asks.

"You'll see," wait maybe I shouldn't have made that comment... wait I don't want Shepard to like me... do I? I need to decide on that... but not right now. I lead the way towards the club Shepard and Kasumi look at the line. "We don't have to wait in line," I head right up to the guard at the door.

He looks at me then Shepard and Kasumi, "Aria's expecting you," the door opens. We're assaulted by more of the techno music. We're not even in the actual club and the music is loud.

"I told you," I grin and Shepard takes the lead. I expected smooth sailing straight to Aria... but I forgot about the batarians in the hall.

"What are you looking at," the batarian in the center of the other two asks me when he notices me glancing over at them.

Can't look weak in front of Shepard, "An idiot," I answer simply and keep walking. I feel a hand on my shoulder... not female so. I spun around one hand grabbing the collar of the batarian's shirt and the other pulling out my knife and pressing it against his throat. "Back off," unlike most of the time my tone is level and calm. I toss him back into his two friends.

Neither Shepard nor Kasumi commented, because at that moment the door to the main building opened. The sound is deafening... in a good way. I actually kind of liked the Afterlife music. I do a quick sweep of the room, people at bars buying drinks, at tables talking... asari dancing around poles... I get elbowed in the ribs when my gaze lingers on one for too long.

Shepard clears her throat and leads the way through the club. Oops... I got caught. Her mouth moves but I can't hear I catch one word, "...view..."

There's no explaining so I just follow Shepard who leads us past Aria's booth into the under-area she leads to the other part of the club and we begin wandering around in circles. Until finally she sits down in a booth in the first room. "Where the hell is Aria?"

I try my best not to laugh, Shepard got lost. "I'll show you." I walk straight there... I shouldn't find it so funny I mean when I first played ME2 I got lost and couldn't find Aria's booth, but I didn't expect Shepard in real life to be lost. I bow and gesture for Shepard to move up the stairs, "Madam."

"Jokes are only cute for so long," she remarks leading the way up the stairs. I'm annoying yay! Kasumi and I follow after her. We reach the VIP area and I spot Aria up a smaller flight of stairs. Shepard moves up the stairs and the guards move out of the shadows guns drawn. "That's close enough," Aria says to Shepard. Fast as a blink my two pistols' laser sights are on two guards' heads, you can never be too careful.

Someone comes up and starts scanning Shepard, "Stand still," he orders.

Everyone puts their guns away I however take the laser sight off one of my Phalanxes and point the beam in the eyes of a batarian that was giving me a dirty look.

"I was told you were the person to talk to if I have questions," Shepard says, I turn to look at her and she's pointing at Aria.

The scanner stops, "They're clean."

Aria spins around and stares at Shepard neither is backing down from the other's gaze. "Depends on the questions," Aria answers with a business face.

"You run Omega," Shepard asks. What a dumb question I practically told Shepard this. I switch the laser light to a turian who was starting to give me a dirty look, I have a feeling most of the guards are gonna get this treatment. It's funny seeing someone try to hold a dirty look with a lazer light in their eye.

I hear Aria's laugh, I can imagine the scene too, she turns arms outstretched, "I am Omega."

Ok, back to the batarian. I flash the laser light between his eyes again. He's getting pissed, I sing song in my head. I wonder if i'll piss him off enough that he attacks me. That might be fun. Damn, he's showing that he's pissed but he's not acting on it. Oh well props to him on self control.

"...Queen if you're feeling dramatic," Oops I haven't been listening to Aria's rant. "It doesn't matter, Omega has no titled ruler and only one rule..." Cool at least I get to hear Aria's most popular line. She sits down exuding that, 'I own everything here,' aura. "Don't fuck with Aria," she smiles at the end of her words. A thought comes to my mind, I want to see Aria disheveled, it might be weird but to see her lose her composure or even afraid.

"Easy to remember," Shepard comments.

"If you forget someone will remind you," Aria responds always the one to have the last word.

"Then I toss your sorry ass out the nearest airlock," the scanning batarian from earlier adds. I flash my laser light in his eyes.

"All due respect, threaten Shepard again and I'll toss you through the airlock," I growl. I grab the spot light for a moment and everyone stares at me. It seems to get tense as guards put their hands near their weapons.

Then Aria laughs. The tension dispels and Shepard sits down. "So what can I do for you," Aria asks.

"I'm looking for someone named Archangel," Shepard answers. Wow they're straight to business. I keep bugging the batarian that had threatened Shepard, laser light cycling between his four eyes. He's still glaring at me, I glare right back.

"You and half of Omega," Aria responds, "you want him dead too?" I grin at that, farthest from the truth.

"I'm putting a team together," Shepard answers, "he's on my list." I wonder if I should tell Shepard who Archangel really is...

Aria smiles... I'm never comfortable when Aria smiles, "Interesting." I'm a little nervous now. "You're going to make a lot of enemies teaming up with Archangel."

Good more things to shoot... that sounded like Grunt a bit... It's gonna be awesome seeing Grunt... truth be told I liked pretty much all of the team in ME2. Miranda I thought was a bit of a bitch but after her loyalty mission she was much more agreeable. I digress...

"...He's in a bit of trouble right now," Aria finishes. Damn it I was off in my own little world and missed more conversation and my laser light strayed from the square pattern I've been drawing on the batarian. I change to a sort of figure eight. Am I having too much fun with a laser pointer?

"Just tell me where to find him," Shepard answers. Going according to the game dialogue I see. The only difference is an idiot playing around with a laser light. Come on idiot fight me, I want to punch something.

"The local merc groups are recruiting anyone with a gun to take down Archangel," Aria suggests.

"We get to make them pay us for destroying them," I laugh, "that's awesome."

"I doubt they'll pay in advance," Aria remarks with a grin, "They are using a private booth for recruiting." "Just over there," she gestures slightly, "I'm sure they'll sign you up."

"Thanks for the help," Shepard says standing up. I turn off the laser light. Good self control.

"See if you still feel that way when the mercs find out you're there to help him," Aria comments. That's when the shit hits the fan, and depending on your disposition the 'fun' begins. I do often feel like hitting something or shooting something... but I'm not sure wanton violence is my thing.

We head down the stairs and find the guy outside the recruiting booth. A blue suns batarian... why is it most mercenaries I meet are batarians? "I hear you're recruiting."

He looks us over, "Go on in." The door opens and we pass someone who's apparently just been hired. We walk in and surprise, surprise, a batarian mercenary...

"Who's next," he asks. He notices us. "Well aren't you cute," if he starts hitting on Shepard I'll break his head in two. "You're in the wrong place honey," wait did this asshole just call Shepard honey? "Strippers quarters are that way," Ok that's it I'm splitting his head in two. I start to step forward hostile intent obvious... obvious enough that Kasumi puts a hand in front of me to stop me. Now I could blow straight past her and have my fist halfway through four eyes skull but... Shepard pulled her gun...

"Show me yours tough guy," she says almost threateningly, "I bet mines bigger."

I stop dead in my tracks... I'll leave this to Shepard. She's more experienced and... tougher. "Impressive, so you're here to fight then." Ok I don't really care about the rest of this conversation... unless four eyes insults Shepard again. I really want to play with the laser sight... I pull it and the pistol it belongs to, I reattach it. Then I aim it at the wall and pull the trigger it hits right where the sight was. Wow I feel better now...

"...If this is the place to go after Archangel," Shepard answers.

The batarian seems to smile at this... he probably thinks we have a grudge against Archangel. "This is the place," he answers. He goes through some details about payment and if we die... I lose interest. "Anything else," he finally asks after wasting precious minutes of my life with legal crap.

Shepard cracks her knuckles and makes a grin, "Where do we go?" She's getting into this.

"Just over to the transport depot outside the club," he answers, "one of our boys will take you from there." So we're finally gonna go kick some ass... oh, I just remembered my dream... that's bad. "Send the next one in," he says into his comm. We turn and head towards the door, I wonder if... the door opens and the guy you can stop from being a merc walks by us.

"Is this where I sign up," he asks the batarian.

Shepard answers instead, "You look a little young to be freelancing as a merc." I'm so tempted to cough 'hypocrite...' I mean I'm younger than this guy and Shepard's taking me along.

"I'm old enough," he answers indignantly. "I grew up on Omega," he adds, "I know how to use a gun."

"Don't be so cocky," I warn him, "you'd be nothing but fodder."

"I know how to handle myself," he argues, he's mad it seems. Then a confident smile appears on his face, he pulls out his pistol, "I just spent fifty credits on this pistol and I wanna us it." This is the part where Shepard can do the interrupt. To my surprise she turns to leave.

I step forward and take the pistol out of his hands, "Kids shouldn't play with toys."

"Hey that's," he lunges for it. I catch his collar with my other hand and lift him clean off the ground.

"You'll die," I tell him with certainty. I drop him and falls to the floor. I smash the pistol against the wall, and it breaks into pieces. "You'll thank me later." I walk out with Shepard and Kasumi.

"Good deed of the day," Kasumi asks me.

"It's one less to fight," I answer with a neutral expression. Truth be told I never let that guy become a merc...

"Let's move it," Shepard orders. We pick up the pace and end up at the transportation depot and immediately see our ride. Shepard walks straight up to the batarian driver and says, "I'm on the mission."

"I hope you're ready," the driver responds, "Archangel's been annihilating you freelancers."

"Ready when you are," and Shepard actually smiled at the news of the freelancers being annihilated.

* * *

**A/N: Next chap will be out faster...  
I want to apologize for the long wait times.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Chapter 11 some action!

* * *

**

**Ch. 11**

**When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.  
Author: Thomas Jones**

The shuttle door pops open, "Get in." The only thing I kind of like about Omega is a shuttle ride through the city scape. Seeing it all fly by. No one talks on the drive though so... it felt weird. Less enjoyable than it should have been. Maybe it was because of my dream. We enter into a sort of tunnel and start to move closer to the ground. I feel a little nervous as we touch down I jump out and look around, same landing zone as the game and of course there's a batarian waiting for us.

"Looks like they finally sent us someone who looks like they know how to fight," he says approvingly walking towards me. Shepard and Kasumi get out of the cab.

"Yes they did," I say stepping back and Shepard takes the lead. The batarian seems surprised at this but doesn't show it long.

"What did the recruiter tell you about the job," the batarian asks.

"Not much," Shepard answers.

"We wouldn't get many if they knew the truth," the batarian responds. "We've got him bottled up in his base."

"But..." I say knowingly. I know the only way across is the bridge and find it very cool to use a three hundred-esque strategy.

"He's got the perfect position, and the only way in is over a very exposed bridge." "Most of the freelancers are being torn apart, but..." He puts his hand to his ear. "You better get moving, find Sargent Cathka, he'll explain."

"Roger," I acknowledge. Shepard looks back at me. We walk off and I answer Shepard's questioning look, "Whilst I know you could kick most of the guys asses here, they seem to be more afraid of the cyborg me than the normal human yo-" I get slammed in the side and get knocked off my feet. "Ouch."

"Will," Shepard runs over to where I'm lying. She kneels besides me.

"Oh I'm gonna kick his ass," I seethe sitting up. I heard Shepard got hit by the concussive rounds in the game, but that knocked me clean off my feet.

"Looks like he doesn't like you," Shepard says. I pull my hood back, jump up and turn towards the building, I flip Garrus off. I duck as another shot comes flying in, it slams into the wall. I serpentine towards cover. You never know if he'll take another shot at me. OK, I'm pissed, first he storms off, and now he shoots at me... I'm gonna kick his ass when we get out of this.

We pass through the room with the Salarian merc leader guy... we don't bother talking to him but... I swipe the data pad. I glance around afterward to see if anyone saw... nope. Good. We head out of the room and instead of going straight there I take the left and end up in the mech room.

"Good idea," Shepard compliments me. My heart jumps... god I'm hopeless. I turn away from her hiding a blush and get to hacking the YMIR mech that took a prominent position in the center of the room. I manage to get it and hum the Zelda theme... the one when you open a treasure chest. We head back out.

We pass through another door and I spot the blood pack leader, the door shuts to his room. Damn he's bigger in real life than in the game...

"Shepard there's more open ground," I say to her when we arrive at the central corridor.

"Do you want me to hold your hand," she asks, smiling at my fear. OK, those shots don't kill you but... they hurt like freakin' hell. Wait... if I act like I'm chivalrous then I'll seem less like a coward. I sweep Shepard off her feet... literally and carry her at full speed across the open ground. I double back and I'm about to grab Kasumi when she disappears. Oh... great... one chivalrous thing I did. You know what screw it.

I pivot and look across the open ground. I walk, that's right walk, boldly forward. I resist the immense urge to sprint. Before I was hoping escorting the ladies across would be enough of a smoke screen... but then Kasumi had to pull her 'now you see me now you don't.' I cross it to an irate Shepard and a laughing Kasumi.

"What the hell was that," she asks referring to me carrying her.

"I was," I glance at Kasumi, "trying to use you two to mask my fear of the open ground." My frankness kills Shepard's anger and I swear she smiled before she turns and leads us away. We come up to a freelancer leaning against a column.

"Where do we go," Shepard asks. He motions with his head across the way. Shepard and Kasumi cross without incident... apparently Garrus won't shoot at them. I stick an arm out... nothing, now a foot... still nothing. I pull my cloak off and grab my sniper rifle, I hang my cloak off it and hold it out, and still nothing. I put my cloak back on and replace my sniper rifle. I duck down and cross the way. I walk up next to Shepard who was talking to a group of human mercenaries, but they parted and of course... yet again, it's a batarian.

"You Sargent Cathka," I ask him from the back of the group.

"That's me," he answers.

"We're getting our mission details," Shepard explains.

"You're the group Salkie mentioned then," he says more to himself than us.

I don't care who Salkie is... I think it's the driver. "What do we do," Shepard asks... apparently she doesn't care either.

"When the infiltration team gives the signal, charge in," he explains.

"Wait what infiltration team," Shepard asks.

"Target in sight," a voice says from his computer.

"No time, Bravo team go, go, go," he orders. They all run off and leap over the barricade. I sneak up behind the batarian. "Got to get her to one hundred percent before Tarak decides he needs her again. I judo chop him with my right arm straight to the back of his neck... either I knocked him unconscious or broke his neck... either way the gunship won't be one hundred percent when the time comes.

No time to think about those things now though. Shepard, Kasumi and I leap over the barricade, the diversion team was already pretty much wiped out, an accurate shot from Shepard and they were full wiped out. I sprint into the base, I spot someone running up the stairs. I draw my pistol and let loose, most of my shots miss... but this guy doesn't have shields and the one shot that hits him in the chest is the end for him. I leap over tables and the stair railings. I roll around the corner and spot the two trying to get through the door. I put my pistol away and in the same motion pull out my SMG, and in the other hand my Phalanx pistol. I unload with both of them and the mercs go down in a barrage of ammo. I stop before entering, Shepard and Kasumi catch up.

"Aren't you fast," Kasumi asks smiling. I smile and nod and replace the ammo in my guns.

We enter Archangel's room guns drawn, "Archangel," Shepard asks. Archangel holds up a finger, he looks down the sight of his rifle and bam... another one down and another one down... another one bites the dust... OK back to sanity. He turns towards us, and slowly pulls his helmet off...

"Hey Garrus." The helmet hits the floor.

"Shepard," he looks at her. I swear he looks like he's about to pinch himself, which looks like it could help him wake up, it looks like he's about to pass out. "Will?" I walk up and punch him in the arm. "What was..."

"Two things... you shot me and to prove we're here." I fight this internal general pissed off feeling I have towards him currently and manage a grin, "You got yourself in deep didn't you." I laugh... all an act... I'm still pissed at him for shooting me and for abandoning me.

"What did you do to get all these groups after you," Shepard butts into the conversation thankfully. I should be more happy to see Garrus... but I don't know I feel pissed just looking at him right now... I feel an ache on the right side of my body near where my shoulder used to be.

"It wasn't easy," he smiles moving away. He sits back against the wall, "I really had to work at it."

"Well you were always almost as good as me at pissing people off," I laugh, jokes calm me down. "Gayrus," I add for the hell of it.

Shepard looks over at me, and I can almost hear Kasumi stifle a small laugh. Garrus actually smiles, "It's weird but I've missed someone constantly annoying me with childish names and antics," amusement is obvious in his tone. I swing my sniper rifle out and fire a shot towards the merc base.

"Let em know we're still here," I grin. Garrus looks approvingly at my new rifle.

"Incisor," he says to himself, "you always manage to find the best stuff don't you."

"It was a going away present," I say putting it away clearly showing my right arm. He just notices it... nice.

"What happened," he begins.

"Long conversations and armies of pissed off mercs don't go together," I remind him of the imminent danger of getting shot. "Let's kick these guys asses then we'll catch up." I don't know, I'm still not happy with him but I feel a bit better. I have a hard time holding a grudge against a friend.

"Give us a situation report," Shepard says militarily. Ms. Soldier's back. Wait... she doesn't sound... happy happy to see Garrus...

"The bridge has been saving my life," he begins, "funneling them all right into my scope." "But it works both ways."

"We're trapped by it," Shepard observes.

"That's right, if we want to get out we have to wait until the right time and punch our way out," Garrus explains for the less tactically minded. It's a little more dangerous than I remember... oh, that's because last time I did this it was in a... a bullet whizzes by my head. Thank god for shitty merc snipers! I fall flat on my stomach and power crawl tho the window.

"I think we've been talking too long," I shout over the sound of gunfire. More ammo begins flying towards us from several sources, everyone else grabs some cover.

"Will, Kasumi downstairs," Shepard orders... OK we're close range. I walk out ducked down, and Kasumi fizzles out with an electrical crackle. I slap my chest and disappear as well. I stay ducked down though... of course I'm invisible not invincible... I used to have some confusion with those two words, hospital and hospitable as well... is this the right time to be thinking that?

"On to life," I mumble to myself taking a short cut down by jumping over the railing and landing on the first floor with cat like grace... OK find I landed on the floor and overbalanced and fell on my ass, happy?

We move to cover and stay in the room to watch out for them. I check my guns sight the door and wait for the party to really start. Doesn't take long before someone steps through the front door, and that's the last step they ever take. A turian in eclipse armor goes down. I swap out one of my pistols for a locust. Three more make it through the door.

"What the hell are you two doing up there," I shout through gritted teeth, "having a tea party?" Kasumi gets one, I line up my pistol's laser sight with another's head and end him. Several shots start slamming into my shields. I tear into the last one with my Locust, just in time for more to rush in. This time they get to cover, I duck down and let my shields recharge shots tear into my cover. Well I'm pinned down. My shield bar reaches full, wait I've got a trump card! I slap my chest and vanish. A stray shot pings off me and they all notice that a bullet just bounced off air.

I dive behind a nearby column before they can capitalize on finding me. I fumble to relaod my guns as shots tear into the column behind me. I look around for Kasumi while my hands fish out thermal clips and slam them into my guns. Where is...? I hear a spray of gunfire and several death groans. She had snuck around behind them and sprayed them all with her gun. I hear rockets and a heavy machine gun as the battle outside seems to kick into overdrive.

"The YMIR's out I guess," I remark to Kasumi.

"We should stay in here and keep them from getting to Shepard," she suggests.

I smile knowingly, "So can we take a break?"

She smiles back, "Guess so." Both of us have our guns close to our hands and our eyes on the door though. I hear one big explosion then... nothing, no gunfire no shouting, just silence.

"Will, Kasumi come up here," Shepard orders, her voice is calm so I guess that means that's the end of round one. Cue hot chick holding up a big card with a giant 2 on it... No well maybe Shepard would... no no no, I hit myself in the head, with my right arm unfortunatly and my vision goes slightly blurry... Well let's go get ready for round two.

* * *

**A/N: Flashback you are correct, when I'm describing Afterlife in the last chapter I called it a wretched hive of scum and villainy... the same line Ben Kenobi used in a new hope, the starwars movies are one of my favorite movie series. **

**I like putting movie quotes into the story where it fits... and I thought that quote really fit Afterlife... and all of Omega...**

**I tried to not copy and paste as much in game dialogue.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: The base siege! **

* * *

**Ch. 12**

**Resentment is weak and lowers your self-esteem.  
Author: Barbara Sher**

Before I can reach Shepard I hear a very loud noise. "...They broke through underground," Garrus's voice says over my comm. "Guess they had to use their brains eventually."

"Will since you're down there..." Shepard begins.

I enter the room, "Sorry already here." Kasumi appears out of nowhere. "So's Kasumi."

"You better get down there Shepard, I'll hold the bridge," Garrus says confidently, but he still seems tired to me.

"Will, back up Garrus," Shepard orders. She's confident but there's something strange hidden behind her eyes... I'm not sure but it seems a little confused and kinda sad.

"Gotcha boss," I salute militarily. I lighten her mood a bit, one of the few things I do is kill the mood, whether it is positive or negative. "We can catch up," I unconsciously put a bit of steel in my voice.

"Let's move," Shepard is oblivious or ignoring how I sounded. She runs out of the room Kasumi follows after her. So now I'm alone, with Garrus.

"Will... how've you been," he returns to his perch. Small talk while slaughtering a group of mercenaries... I really have changed a lot since I began.

"Peachy," I answer gruffly, I pull out my Incisor sniper rifle. Maybe it would be better to clear the air and rant my po'd feelings, but I just think I'd feel like an ass after his squad just got wiped out. Any conversation dies until the first of the mercenaries come over the ramp. I line up my sights on a vorcha with a flame thrower, I angle slightly over his shoulder and hit his tank. He explodes and the shrapnel takes down another that was too close to the explosion. I sight another, this ones a krogan I squeeze the trigger. Garrus is hitting more than me but, hey he's uber sniper man.

I hate these silences... well sort of silent there's the sound of gunfire in the background. "Scoped and dropped," Garrus says excitedly. I head-shot someone. "That's gotta hurt," he praises.

OK ice sort of broken, "What did you do after I disappeared?"

"First thing I did was attend you're funeral," he answers... it's kinda weird for someone to say they've attended your funeral when you're standing right next to them...

I suddenly get a morbid curiosity moment, "What was my funeral like?" I take down a krogan who was a little too bold with a triple burst head-shot.

"They sent a casket into Sol," he answers... it's weird but that's kind of how I'd want a space funeral... either that or a black hole... but to be buried in the human home system... guess I had someone's respect.

I grin suddenly, "Did you speak at my funeral," I ask with mirth obvious in my voice. Hey, I've always wanted to know what people thought of me when they couldn't call me an idiot...

"I did," he seemed sad... crap funeral talk after he just lost his squad... great now I'm an ass.

"Who else was there?"

"Anderson, Ashley, and me," he answers. "We couldn't get into contact with Wrex so he wasn't there, and Tali," he looks away, "she never responded to the news except to ask if it was true... and I yes, I haven't heard from her since then," he looks down and away from his scope momentarily...

I think the conversation died again. Garrus' omni-tool beeps, "Good work Shepard." Took her that long to get one? "Now head back up here..." wait was I completely out of it and missed the other two comments? Wait doy, this is the real world not a game so he doesn't have to make those comments.

"We should watch our," I hear a door explode, I thought he just opened it in the game? Guess he's being more aggressive. I spin around and put my sniper rifle away. I draw out my SMGs and take up a ready position by the door.

"Enemies behind us," Garrus shouts taking up a position to snipe into the lower level. I hear a pair of gunshots from downstairs... and all hell breaks loose all over again. Shepard, well I guess it's Shepard, begins shooting up the downstairs and Garrus joins in... and to add to all that a pair of huge ass krogan's, one being the big boss, just came in the room. Having a pair of shotguns pointed at you can really be scary ya know?

I shoot both the guns they're holding out of their hands... but they knock mine out of my hands. The big guy goes after Garrus, who realizing the closer more immediate threat, was turning from the fight. The other krogan decides to come after me... yay. I duck low and tackle the minion krogan, a normal person probably would've broken something... but I'm not exactly normal. I knock him off his feet, and roll over him coming up with my knife in my hand.

"You need to find a new line of work," I grin, witty banter in a fight... I guess I'm used to life or death fights by now.

He grunts agitatedly. He ducks his head down and charges me. I side step and stab him in the face... that was easy... He drops to the ground. I... that was just...

"Problem," Garrus shouts. I glance over and he's busy dodging a barrage of hay-makers from the boss krogan. I draw out my pistol and get his attention... by shooting him.

"Oi gay krogan over here," I shout, "you're mother was a turtle!" I'm disappointed in myself I should have better material than... oh gotta duck! A chair goes flying over my head, close enough to feel the wind off it. "My grandma throws harder than that," again probably not my best material... but all I need to do is distract him from Garrus. He pulls a pistol... oh he has a backup gun... I dive down behind the couch as he starts shooting in my direction.

I hear the shooting stop cursing and then a thud of what i'm guessing is the pistol hit the couch. "You look like you got beat to death with the ugly stick resuscitated then beat half to death with the fugly stick," I taunt, that might've been better material... maybe I should keep a bad joke notepad... really, really not the time. He turns back to Garrus... great my good material gets ignored but 'you're momma was a turtle,' pisses him off...

Too bad for him Garrus had him sighted. "Hey ugly," Garrus shouts.

"Oh, shi..." the last words of a very stupid krogan, before his head disappears... Garrus slots in a new thermal clip.

"Got him," he pants.

"Personal," I ask noticing his relief and an almost joyous feeling he seemed to have.

"Garm was one tough son of a bitch, and a freak of nature," oh this is the part where he tells me about his one on one battle. "I got him alone once and still couldn't take him down, he managed to keep fighting until his vorcha came in and rescued him, never seen a krogan regenerate that fast..."

Shepard comes running in gun at the ready, but after noticing that we're not currently engaged in mortal combat puts it away and takes charge. She walks up to Garrus, "We should try and break out, all that's left are the blue suns."

"You're right, Tarak's got the toughest group, but nothing that we haven't faced before," he's confident and seems more energized than when we first got here. I start glancing around, this is around the part the gunship arrives... I walk over to the window and look outside.

I turn back to Garrus and Shepard, "I'm ready to kick some mor-." I hear an engines whine and immediately drop to the ground... just for a different window in the room to shatter... guess I got the location and timing wrong... The gunship sprays some shots and takes off, just after a group of mercs rappels in. I roll behind more cover as everyone pulls out their guns. I end up right next to one of my Locusts... nice... I check the ammo and it's good enough. I pop up and spray the mercs with ammo. I duck back down and look around for my other Locust.

After not seeing it anywhere, I look over my cover to see how the fights going. The enemies dead. "On the lower level," Garrus shouts. I run over to the window along with everyone else, a mercs shot grazes my shoulder. I fall backwards.

"Will," Shepard shouts she takes on a very pissed off face and sprays everyone downstairs. Kasumi drags me to the opposite side of the room.

"I'm all right," I keep telling her. I get my feet under me to prove it and stand up. "See perfectly fine." Thats when I heard the gunships engines whine right behind me. My blood runs cold, and everything stops.

Shepard shouts, "Will!" I look and see the fear on her face, that look that told me just how screwed I was at that moment. That moment when I should've immediately fallen to the floor. I turn just in time to see the muzzles on the gunship flash... I'm slammed from the side, Garrus had shoved me out of the way, but he my spot on the firing line. He falls over, and barely manages to crawl behind nearby cover. I'm still frozen from that moment when I thought I was certain to die. Wait, I've gotta save Garrus before he... he attempts to roll towards better cover and gets caught in the blast of a missle... he could die now... this isn't a game anymore where everything is certain. Lying next to me is that krogan I stabbed my knife still stuck in his face. I draw it out. I hear the engines still by the window I jump up.

"Son of a bitch," I shout, I leap through the window at the ship. Tarak's so surprised he doesn't dodge, I slam my knife through his cockpit window. The ship starts to lurch, I should've thought this through more... he flys away from the base and starts trying to shake me off, a lot of fear gives me the strength to hold on. I use my unoccupied arm to pull out one of my pistols. I press it against the glass. "Land!"

"Fuck you," he shouts and pulls his own gun... this is one of my worst nightmares, a gunfight with a pilot at over a hundred feet. He shoots through the glass, I fire back, I hear a groan. We start to tilt and head at a pants crappingly high speed back to the base.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," I mimic Joker unintentionally. Jump off before I hit, jump off before I... "SHIT!" I leap off through the second floor window roll and slam into the couch in the center of the room. I've got a huge pain in my side, bruises, and I'm not certain but my arm may need maintenance, otherwise I'm halfway to tap dancing that I had survived!

"Oh shit, Garrus," I jump up... too fast, I get woozy and fall back down. I crawl in sight of Garrus. Kasumi and Shepard are working like mad trying to treat his wounds. All I can do in this situation is think positive thoughts... not that there is anything positive besides the fact we wiped out three mercenary groups.

I manage to stand up and limp over to them, "Is he gonna make it," I ask worried.

Shepard's eyes look glazed, she looks at me then to Garrus, "Yes..." There's not much conviction in her voice.

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**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers so far! Sorry about the late update times, I've had school work... Essays suck...**

**P.S: Merry Christmas and I wish I could fall asleep...**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Enjoy.**

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**Ch. 13**

**Love is whatever you can still betray ... Betrayal can only happen if you love.  
Author: John LeCarre**

I'm pacing outside the med bay, where they were fixing up one of my closest friends from being hit in the face with a missile... all because he was trying to protect me... am I worth it? Am I really worth protecting? Am I worth Garrus's life?

No... so why'd he do it? Damn it I could think of several things, he lost his squad and didn't want to see another friend gone, he felt guilty for abandoning me... or it's just who he is...

"Will," it's Kasumi, she seems worried.

"Kasumi," I respond mechanically no emotions. I don't have any to spare at the moment.

"You should rest," she tells me putting a hand on my shoulder.

I grunt, and shrug her hand off, I'm not gonna reply to such a stupid suggestion, I can't sleep until Garrus get's up. I'm not allowed to sleep it would be disrespectful.

"Would he..."

"I'm not going to sleep," I shout, those damn people eating while Garrus is in there half-dead stop and stare at me. "What are you looking at," I shout. Everyone turns back to their food... but my yelling attracted the Tyrannosaurus-bitch.

"Doe," Miranda says cover int the distance between her office and me in fast angry strides... OK super gene showdown, let's see who can get more pissed. She stops directly in front of me and tries to stare me down, it would work better if she was eye level with me as it is she's not. I look down at her and try to be as intimidating as possible.

"Leave me alone," I say simply and calmly.

"Leave and rest," oh no she's not gonna argue. She's gonna take the calm road and reason with me... I hate that type. I'd rather she'd shout at me argue, not try to reason and worry. I like shouting back...

"No thank you," there a polite no.

"Would your friend..."

"Don't tell me about what he would want," I cut her off coldly, "you don't know jack about him."

"No but I get a general inkling that friends don't like other friends hurting themselves," I hate how she's using logic against me, and if I was really in a logical mood I'd agree with her and go take a rest... but I'm illogical at the moment.

"Friends do weird things for other friends," I respond without hesitation. I'm good at arguing, being a middle child does that to you.

"Do what you want but stop shouting," seems it wasn't that important to her.

"Fine," I respond tersely going back to my pacing. Kasumi sighs and walks off shortly after. I'm actually starting to feel tired.

I hear footsteps, "Will?" It's Kelly...

"Please don't tell me to..." she hands me a bottle of water, and a cupcake... damn her and her cupcake... I can't argue that well with someone who gives me a cupcake.

"You obviously feel this is something you should do," she begins, I have a feeling she's probably going to use her cheeriness and understanding to make me take a rest... "and I know you're worried about your friend but don't forget to take care of yourself, others worry about you." I raise an eyebrow at her, "I meant Shepard, and you know I meant Shepard."

"A little while longer," I answer, "then I'll take a rest."

"It's up to you," she smiles as she walks away. A victorious smile that shows she knows she's beaten me...

"See ya," I stop pacing and stare at the door. I lean against the wall and slide down to a seated position. "Guess she's right... how come she can play me like a fiddle?" I stare at the door to the infirmary where probably my best friend is fighting for his life. Stay alive, for god's sake stay alive. Otherwise I won't have a single guy friend. Except Wrex... and considering I lost my old omni tool, he'd kick my ass, seeing as that cure info was in it... I'm gonna get headbutted aren't I... I rub my forehead in nervous fear... his head's thicker than mine and it looks like a freakin' turtle is sittin' on his head.

I actually managed to get off topic in this situation. "I gotta talk to someone..." I get back up to my feet and walk towards the elevator. There's only one other... well technically three, but one's sarcastic the other is fighting to keep Garrus alive, which leaves option number three, and truthfully my first choice, Commander Jane Shepard. I end up on my floor a short while later, the door opens to the sight of... another door. That's right, I'm outside of Shepard's room. I just wanna check on her, see if she's all right she seemed... out of it after we checked on Garrus.

I enter the room, it's spartan... just like in the game... well if the spartan's had a fish tank it'd be spartan... or a terminal, music player and a picture frame of the original Normandy crew... wait... I don't remember that picture... maybe I have memory loss from getting smashed by a giant slab of Reaper. It feels humid in here and I swear I can hear... a... shower... going... oh no... not again. Maybe I can escape... why won't my legs move... well unless Shepard somehow nude... dries... I definitely have to get the hell out of here. Not that I wouldn't mind seeing... but then she'd probably... is now the time to be arguing with my... oh crap the shower just shut off.

"... Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring..." She sings in the shower... baby songs! I usually sing country, seeing as I've lived most my life in the south I'm pretty good at country songs, on singstar I got a...

The door opens and there stands Shepard... in nothing but a towel. "...Don't shine..." the words die on her lips when she sees me standing there. She blushes like mad, eyes widen as you would expect, but she seems as stunned as I am. This could be a little more uncomfortable... I could be in a towel too... I just tried to imagine such a sequence of events that would lead to that. The bathroom door slides shut, no words... should I run or... I have no idea what to think...

"What are you doing up here!" Shepard's voice shouts from the other side of the door.

"I wanted to talk to you," why did I come up here again? I truthfully can't remember, right now all I can think of is that if Shepard hadn't been wearing that towel how much more pissed would she be at me?

"There's a magical ability called knocking," she responds. She's got me there, I walked straight in.

"Sorry..." I sound truly resentful of my actions, I'm a good liar by now...

"What did you want to talk about?" It's weird talking to someone through a door...

"I can't... Garrus," I shout my realization, "I wanted to see how you were dealing."

"Um... can you come back in a minute?"

"Why... sure, sure," I walk outside the door. It shuts and lean against it, "thanks for the view," I mumble with a small smile. "EDI you could've warned me," I reprimand the ceiling.

"I will inform you when Shepard is taking a shower in the future," EDI responds.

"EDI," Shepard shouts from inside her room.

"I will lock the door when Shepard is in the shower," EDI amends.

"That's the way to go," I laugh, never a dull day... Now I feel guilty I've been up here laughing and seeing Shepard almost naked, and Garrus is down there half-dead.

"All right get back in here," OK, today would be the best day if she's in sexy lingerie... OK I'll admit that part was all talk, if she really was I'd probably stammer and faint.

I open the door and walk back in. She's back in her casual outfit... that reminds me I'm still in my armor. Man, my cloak has holes in it! I pull down my hood.

Focus, focus, "Sorry about before," I apologize, I'm blushing and rubbing the back of my head.

"Knock next time," she says agitated. OK... I'm frightened...

"All right..." miss mood-swing is scaring me... No one wants Shepard mad at them, think about what happened to Saren...

"You wanted to talk about Garrus?" she's calm now...

"I wanted to see how you were," I answer earnestly, "but you seem together."

"You've just gotta have faith," did I ever mention I really hate that line? Wait...

"Garrus told me that when I was worried about Liana," I respond her name causing a flood of different emotions, anger, sadness... and from some mutant reason warmth. "Drove me crazy," a small smile forms.

"How'd that turn out..." she stops midway when she sees my expression change suddenly.

"Have faith isn't my favorite saying," I respond, looking away. I rub my right shoulder, it always hurts in these situations, anything about that time. Whenever I talk about Liana, and it hurt earlier when I saw Garrus.

"I want a straight answer with no lies, no diversions," she actually grabs my shoulders and looks into my eyes, like she's a human lie detector. Unfortunately the closeness makes me light headed. "What happened between you and Liana," she squeezes my shoulders.

"I'll tell you but if you don't let me go, I can't do the proper expressions to give the story depth," I try and laugh through how I felt. She let's me go and walks down the stairs and sits on the couch, she pats the part right next to her... I'm gonna faint before this day is done... I know it. I walk over and sit down next to her.

"As you know after you were gone I tried to keep at least some of the crew together," I laugh at myself, "the simple fact they came with me is a miracle." I'm not a leader, I've always known this... but I've always wanted to be one... "I couldn't keep them together, so I decided to help them best I could."

"What did you do," Shepard asks.

"Each of them had something that was important to them," I answer, "I helped them out and in Tali and Wrex's case, I shooed them back to their people." I told them to leave, I isolated myself slowly from them... "If they want you to know the problem I helped them with you'll have to ask them."

"So what happened between you and Liana?" She really wants to know doesn't she... I guess it's the biggest thing that's happened since Shepard died, when she was alive everyday was a big thing... I mean I was modded, helped save the galaxy from the Reapers... temporarily at least, and got hit by a huge chunka Reaper, not that her being alive made every day a big deal... eh, forget it.

"She... I got a message from her," my shoulder's killing me, "it sounded bad, like she was in a lot of trouble." I can't look at Shepard anymore, "I spent hours worrying and trying to find someway to help her, to help someone important to me." I don't have to look at Shepard to read the expression she probably doesn't know she made. My throat closes up, I feel my eyes water a bit. Not in front of Shepard, not in front of Shepard.

"What happened next," she puts her hand on my shoulder to comfort me. She's my commander... she needs to know.

"Things went south with Garrus," I add, "my help backfired." "He stormed off and left me alone, of course that's after constantly telling me to 'have faith.'" My voice is cracking a little, "Then I got a call from Liana, she was on the Citadel and needed my help." "You have no idea how excited I was to be able to see her, help her after all that worrying," a tear streams down my cheek. Damn it, not... I take a deep breath, "She called me to a warehouse, so I ran off to her," I add, "ran straight in, and hugged her, I hugged her." Damn it, I wipe a tear away, dramatic pauses must be contagious now I'm doing it, "she tranqued me." "She stabbed me in the front, not the back," I add, "if she had stabbed me from behind it might've been different, but we were looking at each other and she acted like a robot as I slowly passed out." "She was looking directly at me." "Damn it," I shout and slam my geth arm onto the table, my fist leaves a dent I feel the vibrations from the hit travel to my rib cage, I grimace. "She looked right at me," and there was no emotion on her face, it was all business. I feel the tightness in my throat, the lightness in my head, and the immense betrayal hits me fully for the first time. I never talked with anyone about what happened, no not with anyone. Why did I with Shepard so easily?

Look at what I've done, I've cried in front of Shepard at something that happened a year ago. I've got to get out of here. I stand up. I feel light headed and the table rises up to meet me as everything goes black.

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**A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR! **

**If it's not new year ignore prior message. Instead imagine where you were on new years and relive fond memories... or bad ones depending on how... maybe even no memories if you drank too much, then just think happy thoughts... anyone feel this message screws with the feelings in the chapter? Oh well... on to life...**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Writer's block, side projects, and schoolwork... there three excuses five seconds... a new personal best!

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**

**Ch. 14**

"**A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked"**

**Bernard Meltzer**

Oww... it's dark and my head hurts... that's generally bad news. I creak an eye open... oh yeah I'm in Shepard's room. Why am I passed out in Shepard's room and can't remember anything... I don't drink so it's not that... I didn't drink do I? No if 'that' happened then I wouldn't be on the couch... OK I'm very very uncomfortable with the way things are going inside my head.

Crap Garrus, How long have I been out? My head hurts... did I say that already? I open my eyes fully and see nothing... the room's empty. Only the soft glow from the fish tank gives off any light. I can see pretty well in the dark so I quietly navigate my way out. It's dark... so it's an instinct to be quiet... despite the fact I'm the only person up here... except for Shepard who I now notice is passed out on her desk. Her terminal is off and she's still in her casual outfit. I pull off my cloak and cover her with it. Thanks for... getting me to open up I guess...

I head for the elevator. I head down to the third level. I wanna check on Garrus. I head for the med bay and... it's empty too except for Chakwas typing away at her computer.

"I'm guessing Garrus is better," I remark.

She looks up from her computer, "He made it through." "He's up in the gun battery but I should warn you we had to do extensive cybernetic modifications..."

"Thanks for the info," I half run to the forward battery, the door slides open and Garrus is... Garrus is... Garrus is! Calibrating... of course.

"Will," Garrus says turning to see me. "Good to see you're alive," he holds a hand out for a hand shake... like all the galaxy it's his right hand. I hate shaking with my right hand. He looks down at my right arm, without my cloak anyone can see the fact that it's... not my original. His hand drops down to his side.

"Good to see you again," I grin... it's fake, anyone could see that. Especially an ex-detective.

"I want the story," Garrus says motioning me back into the room. Great I have to have this conversation twice?

I step in and lean against a wall. "Long or short?"

"Long version... I've got nowhere else to be," he answers.

I sigh, I hate the long version. The long versions dramatic, full of dramatic pauses and feelings. "Well I guess telling you will be shorter than telling Shepard."

"Just pick up after I left," he adds.

"I got a message ran off and got captured..." I fly through the words as fast as I can putting some salarians to shame.

"Whoa, slow down." He puts his hands up as if to physically slow me down. "Long version and slowly."

I sigh again, "After you stormed out I kind of sat there for a little while, thinking." "But all I could think about is Liana... I tried distracting myself by writing a note to Tali," a note that never got sent. I snap out of my thoughts, "I received a message from Liana."

"I'm not going to like this ending am I?"

"Hey no getting ahead of the story and don't detective-vigilante it," I wag a finger... that dispelled the mood. "I met her down in a warehouse... I should've realized then... wait now I'm getting ahead of myself." "She was in an outfit similar to mine so I couldn't get a good look at her," I can see her there in the middle of the warehouse, hood up. "I think I might have loved her," something I'd never admit to Shepard. I rub my eyes I feel the water. "Sorry... it's hard to remember." I feel unmanly now. I think I need to go watch an action movie and spit. OK bad comedy isn't working I still feel sad.

"I know it's gotta be hard, but getting it out might help," Garrus puts a reassuring three fingered hand on my shoulder.

"Can't I just be emotionally damaged and moody instead?"

"Will."

"She tranqued me alright," I go from joking to agitated in an instant. "I ran in I hugged her and she tranqued me," I continue, "I stared right into her eyes there was no emotion... she didn't care." I had that image in my mind for the first few months... well I'm not certain how long, being in a sterile dark room really screws with your sense of timing...

"What happened next?"

"I ended up in an empty room," I answer, "well not totally empty." "They had a crazy doctor your old friend Saleon," I can see the simple effect Saleon's name has on Garrus, he's in po'd mode just hearing his name. "Then I woke up one day, and..." I glance down at my arm. "...Escaped..."

"How?"

"Snapped the restraints," I answer. "After a lot of work... a lot... of... work..." Everyday I strained hoping for them to give, every day I tried to break free. "Then it happened." I smile, "they snapped... and who should walk in." My smile hasn't been this big in a while... it's one of my best memories. "But a certain evil organ farming doctor."

"Saleon!" Garrus yells as the realization dawns on him. I'm glad the doors closed or that would've traveled all the way to Shepard's room.

"Yup!" "Last time I saw him he was unconscious and tied to a chair," my smile drops marginally.

"Just unconscious?" Garrus asks, "not..?"

OK... my smiles gone. "I don't kill when I have a choice." I take a serious face... which is probably the rarest face you'll ever see on me...

"It was Saleon," Garrus says coldly, "he deserves it."

"Do you want to hear the ending of the story," I ask trying to change him out of Archangel and back to my buddy Garrus.

His face changes back suddenly as if snapping out of a trance, "Right... so how did you escape from the base you were in?"

"I disguised myself and managed to get to the Armory," I explain, "inside I found... this," I gesture down to my armor. "And all my weapons I'm using now." Those weapons are the only thing I've dropped off since I got back on the ship. So that means I've been in the same armor for two days... not that bad considering last time I barely changed out of my armor.

"Then?"

Oh right I was talking to Garrus, "I discovered the invisibility thing in my armor," I continue, "then when it fizzled out... I double cloths-lined a pair of guards and drop kicked a krogan."

"Wait... you drop kicked a krogan?" He doesn't seem to believe me on that one...

"I improvised," I shrug. "Then I got trapped right in front of the shuttle port door." "After smashing myself against the door til I almost gave up... then I saw a key card at my feet."

"That's convenient." I'll take detective mode over vigilante mode.

"I didn't really think about it," I respond, "I wanted to escape the evil base... another thing you might find convenient was that there was a shuttle idling in the hangar."

"It sounds too easy..."

"So you're saying they let me go?" I ask incredulously, "What about the armed guards and alarms?"

"Maybe 'they' didn't let you go..." Garrus begins.

EDI's podium lights up, "Mr. Doe."

"Yeah EDI?" She interrupted Garrus' conspiracy theory... though it was too... wait EDI's talking.

"... the communications room."

I'm guessing I need to go there... "Understood." "See ya Gayrus," I laugh exiting... wait did that make me seem like an ass?

"Ah... I've missed that name..." I can hear the sarcasm in his voice. The door shuts behind me.

I laugh... he knows I'm just joking around with him, and if not he doesn't know me very well. Uh oh... I've got trouble... it's Kasumi AND Kelly... usually when those two get together it becomes a problem for me... especially if they see me. I'm grateful for the stealth systems in my armor and hit the switch on my chest. Now I'm invisible... I move slowly and carefully towards the elevator... cursing how quiet the Normandy is all the way. I almost made it... almost... but Kasumi 'saw' me coming... I don't think she literally did but somehow she knew I was there.

"Will," she walks in my general direction... I deactivate my cloak... defeated... She has a smile that actually tells me something bads about to come out of her mouth, "So... you and Shepard..."

I knew it... "I'm telling you guys to cut it out."

Kelly snuck up beside me, "You spent the night up in Shepard's room..."

What! Oh... yeah when I was unconscious. "You guys have it completely wrong." "I mean you're in the stratosphere of wrong... you're so wrong..."

"What really happened then?" Kasumi leans in.

"You know... I feel less manly when you two talk to me..." I sigh, "I passed out."

"You're not telling us everything..."

"I'm leaving while I can still feel at least somewhat manly." I step into the elevator and hit the "Deck 2" button. I wave as I slam the "Door Close" button. I need to go watch football and spit... That way I won't feel like a girl... Football... you haven't seen football until you've seen krogans playing football. That's nothing compared to wrestling, I was on the fence back in the 21st whether or not wrestling is fake... krogan wrestling... let's just say they'd have to be very, very dedicated actors.

The door opens on deck two, the CIC... wait... what does CIC stand for? Center in... nope... crap I forgot and now it's gonna bug the hell out of me... Center in Cat... I know for certain that's not it, Certainly Illegal Corn... I feel that one is way off... Combat Information Center... that might be it...

I arrive in the Communications Room feeling slightly triumphant. That fades when I see a rather annoyed Shepard leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "Will," Shepard get's off the wall.

"You requested my presence Commander, ma'am," I snap to attention.

She gives me her 'Get serious or receive my boot up your ass look...' she's not in the mood for messin' around. Funny for me to be serious I have to be casual...

I slump into casual mode, "What's up?"

"We're heading out for the next mission," she informs me.

"That was a short flight," I laugh.

"Gear up and get ready," she turns away.

"I just have a quick question..." I pause collect myself and... "why did I wake up in your room?"

She stiffens momentarily, "Do you remember what happened last night?"

I go from casual to nervous in twenty seconds, "Why... wait, what happened last night!"

"You cried, fainted and slammed you head on my coffee table..."

So that was a very unmanly night for me... All these women are turning me sensitive... more sensitive. I'd rather not be the sensitive one. I need a krogan influence... someone that's pure testosterone, to counteract all the female influences. Even Shepard Ms. Soldier ma'am seems different than she used to be. I don't know if it was dying or the months after I was in a coma, but she's... different.

Oh well, on to life.

Now where did I put my cloak? I feel strange without it but I'm not going back up to Shepard's room to get it back... especially considering what happened last time I went up there... So no hood nothing... I feel... exposed. I glance nervously around the CIC. Shepard was bringing Miranda, and Zaeed as well as me... I feel so comfortable with that team... really I do... I suck at lying don't I? I'm a tiny bit nervous around Zaeed and Miranda makes me feel... well annoyed mostly but those two are the two I'm the most distant from, and for now at least that's the way I want to keep it... until their loyalty missions are done. Then they're more agreeable. Though Miranda's not as quite as bad as I had expected. She's just kind of cold.

"Doe," Yup... cold... as an iceburg.

"Lawson," I respond in kind.

"Hey Zaeed."

"Doe," I feel like the last name is a little impersonal...

"Shepard," and I'm a hypocrit two seconds later... I mean if I feel it's impersonal how does Shep... Jane... nope too weird... how does Shepard feel about it?

"Let's move out," Shepard steps through the airlock. The atmosphere just turned rusty, and dark... Well that's Omega for you. We head straight for the pulsing heart of Omega... Afterlife.

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**A/N: I'll be a little behind updating.. but I'll try and keep it under a month.**


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Here is chapter 15.

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Ch. 15

_"I'll make him an offer he can't refuse."_

(Don Corleone - The Godfather)

Did I ever mention I hate Omega... I like being on a space station... but hate everything that happens here. The strong prey on the weak, people and dreams die daily. I'll be happy when we put a few... Miles? Light-years? I think they called it Parsecs on Starwars, between us and here.

"Ah, Shepard," Aria greets her. I believe this place is as close as real life can get to hell, temptation, death, and torture of the weak... so that makes Aria the devil.

"I need more information," Shepard replies.

"Depends on what information," Aria gestures for Shepard to sit. Shepard complies and as for myself, Zaeed and Miranda... we're still just standing around. In Zaeed's case with a hand covertly near his pistol... I'm guessing he doesn't like clubs.

"I'm looking for a Dr. Mordin Solus."

"The salarian? Last I heard he was trying to help plague victims in the quarantine zone." Sounds like him. "I always liked Mordin he was as likely to heal you as shoot you."

"Sounds about right," I mutter.

"You've met him?" Aria asks.

"On my last time through," I answer I always feel nervous when she talks to me... sort of like when I talk to TIM but not as... pronounced, like she knows my thoughts. "He fixed me up after the crash." "At one point in the visit I was afraid he'd shoot me..."

"What can you tell me about him?" Shepard interrupts. She doesn't like me talking to women... and she could've just asked me about him.

"Used to be a part of the Salarian Special Tasks Group," she adds, "he's brilliant and dangerous." Aria smiles mischievously... more so than usual, "Just don't get him talking, he never shuts up."

"I can vouch for that," I throw in my two cents.

Aria doesn't turn her head towards me just looks at me out of the corner of her eye. "If you really need to find him, take a shuttle to the quarantine zone," gaze turns back to Shepard, "No guarantee they'll let you in, of course."

Shepard stands up, "Thanks for the information."

She turns serious, "Yes, just try not to bring the plague back with you."

We turn and walk down the stairs, "I always get a chill up my spine talking to her."

"Yet you seem to butt in on the conversation a lot," Shepard responds aggravation in her voice. What's her problem we've got our information and all my comments usually do is get a half-laugh out of people...

A turian reaches out and grabs my arm as I pass him on the stairs. I shift and twist his arm behind his back and slam him into the wall... self defense classes in school, and this is the only thing I really remember. "Look but don't touch... that's one of my main rules," I say through gritted teeth.

"Aria wants a favor," he groans... I may have slammed him too hard into the wall.

"Sorry I have personal space issues," I let him go.

"As I said, Aria wants a favor," he repeats righting himself.

"What's going on," Shepard says walking back up from the bottom of the stairs... apparently she didn't notice I stopped following.

"Aria is asking me a favor through this guy... most likely to save face, and it probably involves Patriarch," I remember the dialogue very well. It wouldn't hurt for Aria to think I'm smarter than I am.

"Patriarch?" Shepard asks.

"Sort of an under-boss, a reminder of when Aria took over Omega," I answer encylopediacly... I don't think that's a word... "He doesn't have much real power."

"He needs protection," the turian informs me.

Ahh, the side-quest... crap speaking of I still have that data-pad. I'll give it to Aria after saving Patriarch. "Shepard, let me do this," I suggest, "you can get Dr. Solus."

"I don't want you wandering around Omega alone."

"I'll call Garrus," I suggest, "he knows his way around... and I'm not going to leave Afterlife."

Shepard raises an eyebrow, "You'll call Garrus and stay right here, in Afterlife."

"If it'll make you more comfortable," I answer.

"Call him then," she orders me, "right now."

I activate my communicator, "Garrus come in Garrus... do you read me Garrus... quit calibrating and pick up the damn communicator."

"Yeah Will?"

"I need your help," I respond. "I'm in Afterlife... bring guns."

"All right on my way." That was easy, then again Garrus has always been dependable... for the most part.

"Happy?" I grin.

"You can't leave this club," she uses her order voice, "that's an order." She turns on her heel and leads Miranda, and Zaeed out of the club... I watch her go, and mark several patrons who make wolf whistles... I don't care if it's Miranda or Shepard they're whistling at it's insulting to both, and while I am not above insulting and degrading her I won't let anyone else do it.

If they try to I'll smash them... Now I feel like the Hulk "WILL SMASH!" OK got that out of my system... and I'm being stared at by several patrons around me. I laugh, and my smile keeps until I notice the glow of cybernetic implants and the almost military stride, only two people I know are like that, and one of them is currently in a quarantine zone... gotta say not too disappointed to be left out. Anyway the other is Garrus.

"Garrus," I call and wave a hand so he notices me.

"Will," he comes up the stairs to me.

"Good you brought guns," I grin. "Thanks for coming out."

"Anytime," he waives it off. "So what are we doing."

"Protecting a crime boss from assassination," I answer, "so as to keep the political order and maintain Aria T'loak's power." He seemed wary when I said prevent a crime bosses assassination... so I added the last part, though he's still not too crazy about it.

"Our first move then should be to get him out of a public place," like Shepard, whenever he's put on the mission he's focused.

"I know exactly where he is," I answer grinning. "Let's move it." We head down the stairs and through the door that leads to the part of the club Patriarch is at. I keep my eyes on the nooks and crannies as the music from the club fades slightly in the tunnel. I glance over my shoulder at Garrus, he's scanning the area too, I may be learning from my peers...

We arrive at the room Patriarch is in with no real trouble... a dirty look from a batarian bar tender was the biggest thing... but I suppose when you're two individuals armed to the teeth most people clear the way.

Patriarch is talking to a small group of people... rather than just the two you see in the game. "Don't send a batarian if the buyers a human... they don't mix one always ends up dead," he explains. "Asari usually work..." He notices the two armed individuals who are approaching him... me and Garrus.

"Patriarch?" I'm wary of krogan... ever since I got my face smashed in by one. Glad that guys dead... ok back to the krogan at hand.

"Yes, do you have some business with me," he doesn't sound like most krogan. Most krogan are simple, confident... almost childlike, but he's... like an old man who's beaten... so actually he's about right for his character. An old warrior beaten and subservient.

"Someone's going to try and kill you," I answer.

He almost seems happy, "Someone thinks I'm worth killing?"

"We'll handle them," I cut him off

"So your name grows while I remain an old man who let's other fight his battles."

"I don't like glory... well I do but it's counterproductive to my survival..." I begin, "You can have the credit... we'll kill them and say it was under your orders."

If Patriarch had ears they'd be pricking up... I really hope I used that word right... "You could be my krantt fighting for my honor." "If you would do this I would be grateful, I might even be krogan again." A small sparkle comes into his eyes. Hope I would guess.

"Sure... whatever floats your boat," I turn to Garrus. "You alright with this?"

"You do know this will shake things up a bit," he responds crossing his arms.

"Look at him," I whisper, "can you stand seeing a krogan this sad... they're like giant killer lizard babies."

"You always have the weirdest perception of things..." he laughs at the end of his statement. "I trust your judgment... though I don't know why I do," again he laughs at my expense.

"Because I haven't been wrong so far... a little off maybe but not wrong."

"Any magic dreams I should know about before moving forward?"

I laugh, "Sorry nothing lately." There more distanced than they used to be... I wonder if I'm starting to lose it...

"All right then."

"We'll be back to tell you how it went," I turn to Patriarch. "Stay. Right. Here."

"I'll await your arrival," he says excitement in his voice. This could remake him. I turn and leave the room, I sigh. I know I volunteered and intellectually I make good reasons but it kind of bothers me...

"Now we just need to stop the assassins... where are you going?" I'm turning to the left and heading for the back exit.

"No assassin slips in the front, this is the nearest entrance to the target and is unguarded." See I can make up reasons for things on the spot. Though most of our conversations in here are shouted from two feet away so I could very well have said, "Because I'm from an alternate dimension where I've played this mission..."

And true to script there are a pair of Blood Pack krogan. "I'm guessing buying you off won't work..."

"Reputation can't be..."

"Bought, bye then... from Patriarch," Garrus shoots the back one the moment I say bye. I smash the lead krogan with a right across the face... krogan or not a giant metal fist at high velocity hurts. He falls to the ground and I pull my pistol. The krogan scrambles and points his rifle at me... I empty a clip into him. I sigh and put my pistol back on my waist. I would've thought mercenaries were more about money than reputation and edge. Well mission accomplished. I just sit there for a moment and stare at our handiwork... I sigh again.

"We should go," Garrus says putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I feel numb," I answer looking away. I put my pistol on my waist and turn back into the club. I head to Patriarchs booth.

"You killed them all!" He congratulates jubilantly, "and everyone knows that the Patriarch is not to be crossed." "Thanks to you, Aria may think of me more than a trophy," he continues, "a real advisor maybe." He pauses, "Or even a threat."

Being considered a threat by Aria doesn't seem like much of a favor to me.

"Don't waste this," I say thinking of the assassins. "You better be strong." I turn and head for the door.

"Thanks to you," he pauses again, "I am a krogan." I'm about to step through the door when he stops me again. "By the way be careful with Aria," he warns, "she will approve of what you've done..." that's a weight of my shoulders, "I think." And the weights back again. "but not you altering the balance of Omega." "It may remind her too much of herself."

"If stuff gets bad I'll just run," I respond, "I'm pretty fast, but thanks for the warning." He leaves ahead of me. Yup that's me, altering balances and helping out crime lords... Now to report to my employer. "Garrus I'll come back to you later."

"So what just get a drink?"

I hand him my credit chit, "On me."

"In that case..." he walks off to the bar. I grin, people love free stuff.

I head off at a power walk for Aria's booth. I meet with the turian, Grizz.

"Aria heard you took out the Blood Pack assassins yourself human," he shouts over the music, "she wants to speak with you."

I nod and continue up the stairs. I end up with Aria glaring into me. I'm tense, I could be over her head and out of here in the blink of an eye... yeah I could jump down from here and be gone fast. The tense silence is broken by Aria, "Word has it that Patriarch's krantt took out the men sent to kill him." "Funny I didn't know he had a krantt."

"Maybe he's more powerful than you thought." I shrug, I feel a small bead of sweat start to form. If she attacks my shields will hold long enough to run.

"Maybe," she continues staring at me for a few agonizing seconds longer. I take slow calming deep breaths... I'm sorry I'm afraid of Aria... it's perfectly logical to be afraid of the most powerful individual on the most hellish space station I've ever been to.

"Is that all," I break the silence tentatively.

"It wasn't what I asked, but you got the job done," she finishes. "Grizz will pay you."

I make a small bow and begin to leave, "Next time, I expect it to be done properly."

"Oh yeah," I turn back and pull out a data pad. A guard had his gun halfway out the holster at the sudden move. I toss it to Aria, "Slipped my mind the first time." "Have a nice day."

A guard moves in front of me, the batarian that I bothered with the laser sight earlier. "Let him go," Aria orders him, "thanks for that." I head down the stairs, "How did this slip by our..!" I laugh to myself as the music drowns out her voice. Now wheres Garrus. I head back to the other part of the club, and look around... Garrus is not where he was before.

I wander around a bit and pass by a group of dancing people. There are lots of dancing people... It occurs to me I do not know how to dance... at all... in any way. The closest I come to dancing is when I get a leg cramp.

I feel a three fingered hand grab my shoulder I spin putting my hand on my pistol. "Calm down," I turn to see Garrus. "You're jumpy."

"You get captured by an evil organization and be trapped in a... yeah I'm still not ready to joke about it..." I wince.

"Then why did you try to?" He asks.

"You should know me that well by now," I laugh. We fall into an awkward silence.

"Buy you a drink?" He asks holding up my credit chit.

"Give me that," I grab it from him, "I don't drink."

"Why not?"

"I'm not old enough," I answer.

"Your in the darkest heart of the galaxy where murder, mugging and illicit substance use goes almost completely unnoticed... and your worried about the legal limit?" He's laughing at me.

"I'm going to go claim a booth," I turn away from him. Just in time for a booth to clear out. My luck today... and I'm halfway down before a hand closes around my arm... this one has more than three fingers. So I can threaten this one. I turn and it's my batarian friend... guess he's off work, and he's got friends.

"That's my booth," oh crap he's gonna do the tough guy routine. I may have to destroy him.

"I'm sitting here, based on the simple fact I got here first."

He steps up to me and tries to intimidate me... like every person on this rock. "It's my booth." He pokes me in the chest. I am going to destroy him. Now, unmercifully.

"Hit me," I command him.

"Gladly," he winds up and smashes me in the face.

Ok now it's self defense. I smash him in the face... all four of his eyes cross and he falls back in one punch. I shake my hand... not that it hurt but hey that's what other people do when they punch people.

"Hey," one of his friends shouts.

I pull out my knife, people are very afraid of my knife. I fiddle with the tip. "Can I help you." I ask with a phony receptionist smile. I find smiling while threatening someone makes them more afraid than if you're angry.

"N..no, come on let's go," they grab four eyes and drag him away. I plop down in the booth. I'm glad people are afraid of knives, it makes my life easier. I sigh. I begin whislting against the music, I'm whistling "For he's a jolly good fellow."

I wait there unmolested for what I think is a couple of hours, but I lose track of time when I'm bored. When Shepard walks up with a pair of drinks in her hands. She sits down opposite me and everyone kind of piles in my booth. Great, there goes my personal space. Garrus, Zaeed, Miranda, Mordin and Shepard are all in my booth... everyone just invited themselves in.

So with nothing else to do, "I'll buy get what you want."

"Generous," Miranda comments.

"Whatever," I lean back and look toward the ceiling. "On me."

"Cheers to that and to our new crewmember," Shepard raises her glass.

"I didn't get a cheers when I joine," Garrus remarks sounding down.

"We weren't in a happy drinking mood when you got on the ship," I answer. Shepard takes a drink... I'm not drinking I don't drink anything but I clink the glass Shepard gave me.

"I feel weird," Shepard says immediately.

"Wait," I shout, "Where'd you get that glass." Shepard's eyes glaze over and her head thuds to the table... Ah crap!

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A/N: So it's not a cliff hangar Shepard lives.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: IT LIVES! The story, sorry I was a little dead for a while.**

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**Ch. 16**

**"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."**  
**Alexander Graham Bell Quotes**

"Is it safe to move her?" I ask Mordin. Several of the more... unscrupulous characters were taking an unhealthy interest in us. Unhealthy for them... but I'd like to avoid the conflict if I can. Especially because every single person in here is packing, and if they aren't they're probably gonna die or get robbed... or options one and two together... that depresses me a little.

"Should be, no head injury," Mordin rattles off biometric stuff that flies miles over my head talking about the individual chemicals that are out of the ordinary and to tell the truth... I just nodded and pretended to listen, all the while thinking just about picking up Shepard and running to the Normandy.

"So can I move her to a more sufficient medical facility where she has a less chance of catching some weird disease from keeping her head on the table?" All in one breath.

Mordin turns and stares straight at me sensing I was a little annoyed and worried. "Yes." Wow one word... it must be Christmas. I'm not annoyed by Mordin I'm just really worried and when I get worried I start doing all sorts of things to distract me... and in some cases that means I'll act annoyed.

"Alright," I work Shepard out of the booth and put one arm under her legs and one arm behind her back to carry her.

"Hm, interesting," Mordin comments.

"What?"

"Talk later, first Shepard." He reminds me... and I do get a little annoyed that he did, because I should not need reminding... so I'm more annoyed with myself than him, but I digress.

"You guys can finish up and follow after if you want," I say to Miranda, Garrus, and Zaeed.

"We'll go now," Miranda answers getting up everyone follows her and they follow me as we head out. Aside from a few sideways glances no one really pays attention to our little procession... guess this isn't that interesting to them. I was almost out the front door when that turian that gave me the Patriarch job came running towards us. I spot Zaeed's hand go down to his pistol.

"It's fine," I say to Zaeed.

"If you say so."

The turian puffs up to us, "You forgot something."

Hmm... let me see, Shepard... check, pistol... check, other weaponry... check, credit chit... check, and I know I'm wearing my armor so... what is it?

"Can't think of it..."

"Your payment for the Patriarch job," the turian remarks... he seems a little cross.

"Sorry," I shrug, which shakes Shepard a bit. Oops... He scoffs and tosses me a credit chip. Having no hands, I have no chance of catching it and no intention of trying. It bounces off my chest and falls onto Shepard... It annoys me that it hits Shepard. "Thank you." I grit my teeth.

"We should keep moving," Mordin reminds me. We as a group continue through to the dock, and after a foot tapping time through the... "Decontaminating... decontaminating." You'd really think I'd be panicking and running around in circles but... I'm not that worried all sources say Shepard will be fine and up in a little while.

After the door opens I power walk through. Everyone's staring at me. "It's all right she's fine, just a little poisoned." Everyone just stops staring and goes right back to work... No 'Let me help you carry her' no 'Let me get the elevator' just a sort of group huh. I was expecting the whole ER thing gurneys going down the hall people shouting... I know that's stupid but that's my thinking.

I reach the med bay and finally a reaction.

"What happened?" Chakwas asks jumping up from her seat.

"She was poisoned by a batarian bartender with issues."

"Put her down quickly." She picks up a device from her desk as I move Shepard to an unoccupied table.

"Ah, medical bay well stocked," Mordin comes in a few seconds behind me.

"Who might you be?" Chakwas asks.

"Introductions later," I interrupt any conversations from erupting.

"Correct should tend Shepard quickly," Mordin follows Chakwas over to the table... cot bed thing. Well my jobs done. I wait outside, I'm uncomfortable in med-bay...

I decide to try and find a place to nap... I need one, today's been very taxing on me... taxing? I used the word right I just don't like it. Tiring is simpler but... overused... screw it I'm saying taxing...

I wander into the Starboard observation deck and take a seat on the floor right where Samara would always sit in... and my mind begins to wonder in the emptiness of space... and settles finally on one of the most defining people in my life... Liana... I can't help it, it pisses me off but my mind likes taking me where I don't like to go... especially when I'm tired.

"Why?" I ask the emptiness of space as if she is there in the reflection. I stare back at myself... the new me. The me that in a hundred years I'd never imagine becoming.

"Why?" I ask again. "Why? Why? Why does it feel so fresh in my mind now?" It hits me... I'm alone. I haven't been alone since I was rescued... I was always talking with Helen or on some mission always busy... even after I got here there was always someone to talk to... but now I've isolated myself and... I'm trapped within my own company and I'm trying to make me confront my past...

"Why?" I continue, "I though we were close at the least friends." I feel my throat close up. Why?

My eyes water slightly whether from sleep or sadness I don't know... Our happy times flash through my head, the time at the restaurant... telling her I'll fight the Owner, shopping on the Citadel, fighting in Choras' Den... her arguing with Tali... Tali, she didn't seem happy to see me back from the dead... why? Why are there so many whys in my life? Whys I may never get the answer to. I stand up and walk closer to the glass. I get a closer view of space... we haven't left Omega yet cause no ones given the order to Joker. My side of the ship is staring out into space. Stars twinkle ships fly in and out of my view, ships as small as shuttles zip around cutting each other off and seemingly racing for open docks.

Unfortunately my mind comes right back to where I don't want it to be...

"Why?" This time I'm not asking space, I'm not asking Liana. I'm asking myself, "Why!" I'm getting madder and madder as I think about it. I'm not mad at Liana, the universe or anyone... except the Owner... but I mainly mad at myself, "Dammit WHY!" I smash my fist into the window... my human hand... and ouch that glass is freakin' hard.

"OW ow ow ow," I circle around clutching my hand. I do not recommend punching something way harder than your hand. It hurts like hell. Although, I'm pretty happy that the pain takes my mind off Lian...a... dammit... I slap myself in the head. Get out of my head I would pay money for someone to just... suck the memories of her out of my head... that would make this pain so much easier to withstand. I lean forward against the glass. I hear the door open.

"I want to be left alone," I warn the intruder.

"Someone heard yelling coming from in here," Kelly, the intruder, informs me.

"I was venting," I answer her unspoken question as to why I was shouting. "I have a lot of bad things I needed to shout against."

"That's healthy," I hear the sincerity in her voice. "What are you venting about?"

I turn and stare straight at her... for an instant I want to tell her everything that's in my mind, all my problems all my baggage just let loose and have someone take some of that load off, tell me I'm doing things right, validate everything I've done up to this point... but no I'm not going to. I just can't bare everything, because... what if she didn't vindicate me? What if she told me everything I've done is wrong? Kelly is one of the most perceptive people I know so I know she'd be able to tell whether or not my decisions were good or bad... and the payoff isn't worth the risk.

"Nothing is wrong," I answer.

"Very few people shout about nothing," she's trying to push me...

"I don't need _your_ help," I unintentionally emphasize the word your.

Kelly, being ever the perceptive carrot top, catches my slip. "So whose help do you need?"

Again I find myself pausing... whose help do I need? Who can take this weight off my heart? Who can tell me what I need to know... Who can hug me and tell me everything will work out in the end?

I shake my head I don't need any of that just keep moving forward don't look back... I've never been able to stop looking back. I always walk backwards through my life regretting bad decisions and stupid acts.

"I don't know whose help I need." The confusion in my voice is evident even to me, I turn away and stare out at the stars. "I don't know."

"Is this about Lia-"

"Don't!" I interrupt... "Just don't say her name."

"You have to face..."

"I don't have to face anything!" I shout without turning around to face her. "Just please... leave me alone," I beg meekly.

"You'll have to talk about it sometime..."

"I have, it didn't work, and it still hurts." I hear the door close and I let out and explosive sigh. I can't believe I shouted... I hate losing control unless it's for fun. Slowly my thoughts flow back to... her and everything that's happened. I sit down and continue staring until the stars go black.

_I'm in a hall, the smell of vomit and steam assails me. I have my pistol out in my left hand, I hear a noise and turn, a form approaches me. For some reason I calm down and lower my pistol, the moment I do the form leaps forward and smashes me in the face. I fly backwards through the air and come down hard on the ground... which is a metal grating, my vision goes blurry. My eyes refocus in time for a huge glowing fist to come streaking towards my head..._

My eyes shoot open and I roll out of the way, I leap to my feet ready to fight... ready to fight the empty observation room. One day I'm going to wake up and shoot someone... I'm going to avoid sleeping in a crowded area until these start calming down. I shake the tired away. "EDI?"

"Yes Operative Doe?"

Operative... I hate that title... but hell apparently TIM declined my resignation or never got it either way. I'm getting payed to work for Shepard for once. "Is Shepard up and about yet?"

"Commander Shepard has recovered."

"Could you please tell me where she is... and if she's in her room warn me if she's in the shower or naked or something?"

"Searching..." She pauses for an instant. "The Commander is currently overseeing operations in the CIC... she is fully clothed."

"Damn..." I let a small mischevious smile form on my face. "Thanks EDI."

"Logging you out." The blue sprite that represents EDI winks out leaving the room to darkness.

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**A/N: Again sorry about how far behind I've been in these chapters.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and thank everyone else for their patience.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I'm getting attacked by ideas and twists that are so far into the future of the story it actually hurts a bit... Well anyway here's chapter 17**

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**Ch. 17**

"**Capital punishment turns the state into a murderer. But imprisonment turns the state into a gay dungeon-master."  
Jesse Jackson**

I made my way into the CIC to talk to Shepard, ask the obvious question. 'Where are we going next?' I'm crossing my fingers for Grunt so that I have someone who's pure testosterone to talk to... and who scares away Kasumi and Kelly. I found Shepard in a conversation in the armory with Sir-Shirtsoffalot. So of course... I interrupt.

"Shepard glad to see your alive!" I crash into their conversation like a battering ram.

"It was just a little poisoning," she waves it off. "I've been through worse."

"I'm happy you're OK." I smile showing my sincerity.

"I was just asking Jacob why he joined Cerberus..."

"He was sick of the red tape from the alliance," I answer for him. "He likes the fact Cerberus gets things done... like a lot of the crew on board." "Am I right?" I want to talk to Shepard.

"Yeah, but I'll talk for myself in the future." He's polite but slightly annoyed. I seem to have that effect on people...

"Copy that." I give him a big thumbs up. "So... Shepard." I turn away from Jacob and face her squarely. "Who are we recruiting next?"

"Someone called Jack." Damn... well actually the only crew-member with about the same amount of testosterone as Grunt would probably be Jack. "Reading between the lines Jack's likely a psychopath."

"Should fit right in here on the Normandy." I laugh... and then I'm back inside my mind again wondering... Right now there are two things in my mind, one I could use Jack to help get to the Owner with her we could fight through whomever I needed and if I didn't have the guts to take out the Owner myself... she could... but then I'd just be propagating the violence that's plagued Jack's life... I don't know why I'm thinking of this now... I mean I haven't even talked to her.

"I'm taking Garrus and Miranda to get her," Shepard informs me...

Hey wait what? I'm not going? "You're leaving me behind again?"

"Let's talk more in private." She leads me to the conference room.

"Just let me get off the ship... I'll guard the airlock if you want!" I want to set foot on every place that's possible for me to... don't ask me why I just want to. "Please!"

She lets out an explosive sigh, "If I don't let you I'll probably get a repeat of Noveria."

"Hey I did that to save your life," I wag a finger at her.

"You still violated direct orders..."

"To save your life..." I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here... kind of a morbid turn of phrase isn't it?

The mood changes suddenly, "There might be a time when you have to leave me behind..."

"Never in a million years!"

"You do know this is a suicide mission?"

"Only if we go in with that mind set." I grin confidently.

"There's a reason why it's a suicide mission."

"Let's just get off this..." I hate this a hundred times more than the first time around, when we were hunting Saren it all seemed to fly by... but now... there's all this waiting.

"All right..." She gets a dark cloud over her head... figuratively of course. It's... disconcerting seeing Shepard so unsure of herself so early on... I guess I'm not the only one that is uncomfortable with all the time for self reflection.

"I have faith in you Shepard." I nod with a face full of determination.

She smiles weakly... Shepard doesn't have doubts... does she? I mean it's Shepard she doesn't have insecurities... have I built her into more than she is?

"How stealthy are you?"

"Ermmm..." I was in the middle of doubting her so this catches me by surprise. "Fairly stealthy..." "I can become invisible and I'm pretty quiet..."

"I have a bad feeling about this pick up... and it wouldn't hurt to have someone scout ahead."

"It could hurt me..." I'm not a hundred percent on my ninja skills and I know how chaotic things are going to get.

"It's just a pick up if things go wrong we'll be right there," she responds waving off my doubts... looks like her moment of ill confidence is gone... Ill confidence? There's gotta be a better way to think that...

"Understood." I smile she's confident and that's very infectious.

"Well I see you don't need to gear up..."

I stare down at my armor I was still wearing... breaking rules already... well it wasn't as much a rule as a sort of courtesy.

"Call Garrus and Miranda."

Wait what did I miss? "Can't EDI get them?"

"I was talking to EDI."

"They have been notified Commander." EDI's blue globe thing answers.

"Thanks EDI."

"Logging you out, Shepard." EDI's avatar winks out.

"See you at the airlock." She leaves the conference room. I'm guessing she's going to get ready... but no one told me we were getting close to Purgatory, but I guess considering I'm never in the loop on anything... even back in my universe I never knew about family trips until BAM they're here. Except that one year I went to Dis... damn it I did it again. Focus, one foot in front of the other until I reach the airlock.

And reach the airlock I do... in time to see Purgatory come into full view.

"Beginning docking procedures," I hear Joker say.

In the time it takes to feel a thud and hear a hiss Garrus and Miranda arrive. Shepard is the last on the scene. "Will you'll travel along with us, if your cloak starts to fail find cover to recharge it."

"Got it."

"Miranda, Garrus you're the obvious protection," She turns to them, "This drop should go smooth and clean but these are mercs we're dealing with and nothing is a hundred percent whenever they're involved."

"Understood, Shepard," Garrus answers.

"Everyone in the airlock." She leads the way in. "Will when the outer door opens I want you to cloak."

"Ro..."

"And no talking."

I make a zipping motion across my lips and make a thumbs up.

"Knew I should've asked Kasumi."

I unzip my mouth, "Too late for that." I re-zip and punch my chest. In a fizzle I'm gone... This is actually very clever having an invisible guardian... though I'm pretty sure that the Sixty second countdown on power will wear down fast. The door opens and I follow Shepard and team out.

The moment we're out I speed ahead, I'll need to get through the door the moment the Warden opens it to check everything out. Because I need to get to Jack's room before this timer runs out... there's no other cover before then. I take even breaths, quiet and slowly. But I feel my heart hammering... In video games I loved these moments the quiet movements the feeling of exhilaration as a person is successfully duped and walks by me hidden in the shadows... in real life all that fake exhilaration is multiplied by about a million. So in short, I'm lovin' this.

After a long walk through an umbilical... moving on. Shepard, Garrus and Miranda are standing in front of the Blue Sun's prison guards.

"Welcome to Purgatory Shepard," the turian blue suns member greets. "Your package is being prepped and you can claim it shortly." Liar! You guys are gonna double cross us. "as this is a high security vessel, you'll have to relinquish your weapons before we proceed."

There's the Warden! I speed forward and don't hear Shepard's reply and I just slip through the door before it closes by jumping and rolling through. I come back up ready to shoot. Damn lot's of times been eaten up. I'm down by 17 seconds. I glance around quickly I spot the various criminals and guards on the floors outside the windows. I'd estimate I'm about thirty, forty feet above the rooms floor below. I sprint ahead the only guard in this hall is a LOKI mech and the stupid thing can't see me or detect me so... I slip by unnoticed. I spend a few seconds at the door deciding to wait or go through and risk it... If I wait too long all this is for nothing anyway so I decide to risk... the door opens and a guard walks through... wow lucky.

I slip into the 'Interrogation area' the place where I can clearly hear a guard beating a prisoner... I don't know how I feel on that... but it doesn't matter I've gotta keep going. In the last Cell before the door I swear the prisoner looked straight at me... but I'm still invisible with... crap 10 seconds left to go! I open the door I don't check behind me to see if the guards notice it and Take off down the hall not bothering with stealth. Guards check over their shoulders and see nothing. I reach the cryo-control room just as my cloak fizzles out.

The lab tech in there is focused on his console so he doesn't see me. I walk quietly, slow and measured foot steps. I slip behind him and put a pistol to his head. "Don't make a sound." I wrap my arm around his kneck.

I squeeze hard with my right arm and his eyes begin to roll back up in his head. I feel him go limp and I stash him in a corner out of direct sight. I even move a chair in front of him. I hide over in the corner and mere seconds later a trio of guards walk in from the hall I just ran through. I hit my chest and vanish again.

"Jesse..." The guards look around. "Jesse report." I'm guessing this guy is Jesse... I had a friend named Jesse... well it's not like I killed this guy.

"Could he have gone to the head?" Another guard looks at the facsimile leader... I have no idea if I just used that word right, but hey what does it matter in my head.

"Maybe but..." the leader glances around the room. He notices the out of place chair... maybe not my best move.

"All guards to stations," I hear it muffled through the guards helmet. Due to his close proximity, seeing as I was standing about a foot off to his right. The guard stiffens for a moment and my hands slide down to my guns. I don't want to shoot first but... if they try anything, bam bam bam. I'll feel bad shooting first but... I'll feel a lot worse dead... well you get what I mean. The other two leave the room. My best chance. I pull my rifle off my back slowly and carefully and just as he notices the technician he gets a rifle butt delivered to the back of his head. His helmet negates most of the impact but when he slams to the floor I smash him again full strength cracking his helmet. Still he's conscious.

"I'm." I loose a three round burst from my rifle into his head, "Sorry..." damn it. I didn't want to do that. Why couldn't he just stay down? I sigh and pile him on the Technician guy. Then the alarm sounds. I turn back invisible just in time for a guard from the lower floor to runs in. I slip through the door and nearly bumb into a pair of guards that were hot on the other ones heels... I could go back and help Shepard... but I think I'll follow Jack. Make 100 percent certain that Jack get's where she's going... though I really doubt I'll need to help her... but hey I know everything else that happens. This'll be an interesting angle. Maybe I should radio in...

"Will do you read?" It's Shepard's voice coming in through my radio.

"I'm in the cryo room," I answer. "I'm going after Jack... but I can't get her out unless you use the panel in the room that oversees Jack's area."

"I'm already in." I'm still trapped in the area between the tech room and Jack's area.

"You have to unseal the rooms!" That's definently Garrus.

"If she does that the whole block will be free," I hear Miranda interrupt.

"There's no other way to get Jack out!" Garrus' voice burst in through my ear.

"I'm doing it!" I hear the steel in Shepard's voice. "Will when I open this I want you to stay on Jack's ass." OK, normally I would blush and laugh or make a joke but this is serious... all hells about to break loose, times a billion.

I hear the alarm go off and the door in front of me opens shortly after I hear a shout. I sprint into the room just as jack smashes a hole in the wall. I sprint after her at top speed. I enter the dark hall and follow the almost constant blue glow coming from Jack. She's fast! Normally I'd have passed her by now or even caught up but Jack's very fast. We enter a cell block where the guards were surprised to find their security systems were off-line. I glance over to see a swarm of prisoners over take a guard... I ignore the screams and keep my eyes on Jack... but a chill is sent up my spine. Jack is set on running a marathon through the battle field and well I'm right behind her.

We pass through various places and Jack for her part splatters pretty much anyone who got too close. Me I used the subtle diplomacy of a sniper rifle to the face to keep people away from me, and a three round burst in the ass if that didn't work. Luckily the guards are busy fighting the prisoners... So these incidents are few.

Before too long though I'm getting shot at by the Warden himself so after a return flurry of burst shots that forces him to duck his head I slip through the door Jack takes out of the room. "Shepard I'm still on her how are you doing on your end?"

I hear gunfire and explosions come over my comm... guess things are going as they should. "We're making progress!" She shouts through my comm... my ears hurt. "Left! Left!" I hear a renewed burst of an assault rifle after a faint turian 'got it!' "Keep on her."

"I think she's heading towards the airlock the Normandy's connected to."

"Roger that," Shepard responds. "Keep. On. Her!"

Jack stops suddenly. I slow to a stop about six feet back. I hear footsteps running up behind me. I draw both of my Locust SMGs and spin around aimed at chest level. A pair of prisoners, humans with orange uniforms on ones back 1019 the 9 is written in blood, 1019 smiles eerily at me.

The other was bald like 1019 but more muscular, missing his front teeth, his number was 501. Neither has a gun both are armed with improve weapons 501 has a pipe that he must've torn out of the wall or something because the edges were jagged and bent. 1019 had a combat knife... but it didn't look like the one the guards carried... it actually looked a lot like the one Tali used. Neither looked friendly.

I hear footsteps running again likely the sound of Jack taking off. I pause these two look like they could do some damage to the outside world... if I run and let them go they could escape... likely they have no kinetic barriers installed into their prisoner's uniforms... but can I kill them in cold blood? Can I simply execute someone without the facts? As incredibly unlikely as it is... these two scary gentlemen could be innocent.

"Shouldn't you be chasing your friend boy?" 1019 fiddles with his knife... in an eerily similar way I do.

"Are you innocent?" Direct to the point... likely they'll lie.

"Not at all, we're both mass murderers," He smiles, "government funded mass murderers."

I blast him with a round from my SMG. A barrier jumps into life and smacks my shot away. I flinch.

501 rushes in before I can shift my aim and slams into me... and I mean slams into me. He knocks ME off my feet. I roll and throw him off. I leap back to my feet and take aim at him. A biotic blast slams me and knocks me through the air.

"Damn it," I shout as I land. I leap back up and fire off a burst at 1019 all the shots bounce off. "I don't have time for you peons." I smash 501 in the face with my geth arm and knock him down. 1019 glows and I spot the weakness of biotics... It takes a split second to power up. I take advantage of that second. I toss my Locust and it bounces off his barrier a millimeter from his face. The shine blinds him for a moment... all I need. I spring in and bring my knee into his stomach he doubles over and I bring a hand in for the finishing blow... and I stop... I flinch... I haven't killed anyone like this... always guns or knives... never my bare hands...

He smashes me with a biotic punch and I take off through the air. I leap back to my feet and... they're gone... just gone... A bad feeling in my gut tells me this isn't the last time I'll see them.

"Damn it, Jack!" I push my self to my absolute max speed. The point where I can barely feel the ground beneath my feet. Windows blur by, I pass dozens of bodies that were crushed, most likely by Jack's biotics. I hurdle over a small pile and catch sight of Jack. She's clearing out a group of guards.

"Stop damn it!" I enter the room and slam on the brakes. I stop so hard I nearly fall over. She finishes off the last guard with a biotic punch to the face.

I pull my pistol... crap I left my locust back there. I take aim at her. "Don't move." "Hands up..."

She slowly puts her hands in the air. I calm and drop my arms to my sides. "My name is Will Doe." "Jack we're here to rescue you."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You can put your hands down now."

"Make up your fuckin' mind." She let's her hands fall down to her sides.

I turn back to glance down the hall. "Shepard should be along any..." I hear footsteps across grating, I spin just in time to catch a smash to the face. I soar through the air and land hard on the ground. I grunt from the impact. I remember from my dream what happens next. So I fall limp and play dead... Wait for it... wait for.

She rolls me over and grabs my collar. I shoot my eyes open and lean my head to the side barely dodging her punch... which likely would have been the finishing blow. I put a hand on her stomach and push her off of me. Her turn to fly backwards through the air. She lands and rolls to her feet without missing a beat. By this time I'm also back on my feet.

"Do you listen when people talk or..." I dodge another punch aimed for my head. She's fighting like a krogan throwing killer hay-makers that probably would take me out... but I'm just fast enough to slip away. She swings in with her right and I manage to grab her wrist. Comes across on the other side with her left and I grab that wrist too. She's surprisingly strong for someone so small... maybe petite is a better word.

"Ha can't punch me..." I feel an explosion of pain that no woman could understand... I let out a loud groan... "Right in the quad." I shove her back and fall to my knees. I roll over on the ground... "I think you broke one..." I hear a group running up a shot impacts the grate between me and Jack... Jack jumps back in response.

"Are you all right Will?" Thank God it's Shepard.

"I'm fine," I say in a falsetto voice, and I wave a hand in her direction. I don't move to get up. "I just wanna lie her until I die if that's ok with you."

"Garrus check on Will."

"Got it." I hear his footsteps come close. He kneels down beside me.

"Are you all right?"

"I don't think I'm gonna make it."

He notices the epicenter of my injury... and starts chuckling.

"Laugh it up Gayrus, when I'm better I'm doing this to you!" I whisper harshly.

"Want Shepard to kiss it a..."

"Finish that sentence and it's the last thing you'll ever do," I growl/groan.

He steps away and returns presumably to Shepard. "He'll live... might be talking falsetto for a while, but he'll live." I struggle up to a sitting position and groan at the movement.

"I say shoot her and bring her on board." I stop any conversation from breaking out. "Oh god I think I'm gonna die."

"Why did you attack my crewman?"

"Especially after I said we were here to rescue you... bitch." I groan and roll back on my side this time with a view of the conversation.

"You're Cerberus!" She spits Cerberus. You know what right now I don't think I care what they say. I just wanna get on the ship and leave... ASAP.

"I'll shorten this, Jack you want files on Cerberus," I make a moments eye contact with her. "Shepard you have a ship that has access to said files, we want Jack on the ship... though at the moment I could not disagree more." I pause to catch my breath, "We'll give you the files, you kill who we tell you to." "Miranda you disagree," I cut her off. "That makes the deal sweeter for you Jack because you hate her on sight," I cut Jack off too. "So how about we all get on the Normandy and I take enough pain killers to put a colony in a coma?"

A silence follows my tirade. "Well?" Shepard asks Jack.

"What the fuck are we waiting for?"

"Anyone wanna give me a hand?" I groan.

* * *

**A/N: Ow... Just writing that part hurt me...**  
**Want to give a shout out to my pseudo beta Luke Lonewolf. You can find one of his stories in my favorites, give it a read if you want...  
Well enough shameless advertisement. Next chapter is probably going to be a talky... unless Will has a conversation with Jack and she tries to kill him... or after what just happen it might be the other way around. **

**Thanks for reading so far!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Chapter 18 I've been busy on vacation... those words sound contradictory... but I've been trying to type in the gaps.**

**Anyway Enjoy.**

* * *

**Ch. 18**

"**There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask ****why****... I dream of things that never were, and ask ****why**** not?"**

**Robert Francis Kennedy quotes ( U.S. attorney general and adviser, 1925-1968)**

Shepard gave me explicit instructions the moment we got back on board… stay the hell away from Jack… she didn't offer a punishment for breaking it but I'm guessing the action itself would lead to the punishment. You know it's very likely we'd try to fight for some reason or other considering how well we got on when we first met…

So I decided to talk to one of the few people in the galaxy who might have an answer or two… hell I'd go for a theory, Mordin.

"Ah, Doe nice seeing you again." So far so civil… of course it would be civil it's Mordin, despite the fact the last time we talked he veiled a few threats at my friends, but that was because of course he thought I was an Agent for the Owner… I just got a massive sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Good seeing you too Prof." I smile… maybe not entirely genuine.

He looks up from his workstation. "Want to know about Owner? Maybe mods? No… consternated look on face likely some other reason." His hands are still moving on his omni tool…

My feet took me here… better make up a reason fast! "Well you're half right… I really wanted to tell you what happened see if you notice something I've missed." Kernel of truth… mainly I'm here cause I'm bored and Garrus shoo'd me away from his work area and Shepard's spending most of her time checking and double checking the workings of the ship.

"Would likely miss it as well if hear it from your point of view rather than have been there…" He trails off after seeing my look of agitation.

"I mean if you can connect some of the dots I've found in ways I can't." I half say this through my teeth true I brought it up but it bothers me to talk about it but… despite my original reasons Mordin might actually be able to help me.

"Understood speak on." He's all ears and no mouth now.

"Well…" I relay events as they transpired from when I left his clinic to when I finally escaped from the Owner. Everything… the warehouse with Wrex, finding the geth factory with Tali, capturing Saleon with Garrus… being betrayed and capture by Liana, and finally the dashing story of my heroic escape.

"Suspicious…"

"What is?"

"Too easy…" The hell it was!

"All of that was too easy!" The sadness of everyone leaving, the lonely days in my dark room… hell I was trapped in space for nearly two weeks… I had delusions!

"Restraints mysteriously snap, scientist unguarded… door also unguarded, preprogrammed sequence to allow access to vital equipment, entry card found exactly when and where needed… shuttle idling in the hangar… Owner let you go!" He does the whole scientist punch your hand thing with a Eureka feel around him.

"Why?" That's my main question… somewhere I'd understood that I might have been let go it's not that big a deal. What's really is important is… why did he let me go?

"Don't know Owner plays very… how do humans say it 'close to the vest' with motivations using monetary incentive and a degree of fear…" After hearing fear I get the image of Liana shivering and shuddering at every insult I made towards the Owner. "-istening?"

"Huh… What?"

"Not important." He averts his gaze for a moment.

"Well thanks for that…" Nothing really all he did was cement the fact the Owner used money and fear… plus the fact I was let go.

"One last thing… far more important than your escape."

Nothing was more important than my escape.

"Owner knows you are not from this time… or dimension."

"…What…?"

"From what you've told me you were there sufficient time for graybox to be safely downloaded…"

"So he knows everything I know!"

"No, he only knows what you've seen or heard since implantation."

"So only the intimate moments I've had with my friends… promises and oaths… trials and tribulations my life since arriving!" I have to shout have to let it out… otherwise I might explode that bastard is watching what I've done he knows who I care about… "He'll go after Tali…"

"Tali'Zorah? The quarian from the battle of the Citadel?"

"We were… close… close friends…"

"Will use it to manipulate you."

"I won't let him," I growl. "I'll destroy him and his organization if he so much as looks at any of my friends funny!"

"Naïve, foolish… Sad." He returns to his work. "Owner knows of our conversation concerning your origins."

"Compared to everything else does that really matter?" I'm the least worried about him knowing my origins I mean what advantage does it give him? What can he do now that he knows that? Nothing. Not. A. Damn. Thing.

"No overt advantage… unless…"

"What? I mean it's not like there's a way back." Some small part of me asks… is there? Could I see my family again? Other parts argue that I could never return that simply ignoring the possibility will save the pain… I should just hide from it, let it pass… accept it.

"Very accepting… never seeing home, family, friends…"

"When I was there… I… detached from reality, all day I'd imagine being somewhere else… doing something else… now I'm here and I'm doing these things." I smile again trying to be sincere.

"Might be a way to reverse mod effects… if there is… would you go back?" That's a big bomb to drop in a single sentence.

"Depends on the timing… I mean I've still got a galaxy I need to save." This times my smiles sincere and full. He stares at me with an unreadable expression. "There's also people I care about here," I gaze out the window behind him into the vastness of space… I wonder which direction Tali is… I have to talk to her… again.

"Not wise to grow too attached."

"I'm not wise." I grin in response.

"Obvious."

Heh… I turn to walk out of the lab.

"Remember this, Owner always surprises you in ways you never expect." I turn back and see a hard look on Mordin's face, "You know this."

Liana…

So with that… I have a whole new subject to brood on… Mordin said there might be a way to reverse what's happened to me… I'd never thought about it… I mean, I didn't think it would be possible considering how much of my body's been affected I mean my genetic code has been modified… He said there 'might' be a way so I'll just worry about that when it comes…

I'm wandering aimlessly around while thinking, sometimes pacing helps me think-

"Oof." I run into someone. They give more than I do and fall back. "Sorry was miles away in a galaxy far far away… I'll stick with sorry."

She for it was a she with red hair… crap I just crashed into Kelly. "Excuse you!"

"Sorry," I reach a hand down to help her up… by reflex it's my right… a life time of reflexs doesn't go away in six months.

"Cold hand!" Kelly exclaims and looks up to see me. Her face changes suddenly when she sees me retract my arm quickly. "Will I…"

"I'm sorry," I cut her off, "I should've been watching where I was going. "Talk to you later." I power walk to the elevator before she can respond.

A cold dead hand… my momento from the Owner, someone who has taken even my most endearing experiences from me and uses them for whatever purpose, most likely to find someway to manipulate and threaten me. Thinking about it though he seems to leave me alone when I'm on these missions… though what could he really do? I mean we're in space with the most advanced warship in the galaxy. So I guess it's not that he hasn't done anything to us it's that he can't do anything to us.

The elevator opens to deck 3 and I step out, Immediately I'm assaulted by Kasumi.

"Will what size are you?" She seems to try and bring it up as if it was a normal conversation topic.

Five years of overweight made me… sensitive about such things. "Big."

"Clothes size dingus."

Did sizes change in One hundred and seventy years? Or different in other dimension… pretty sure it's another dimension but then again I haven't really confirmed what the hell is going on… I am really bad at this kind of stuff.

"You don't know what size clothes your supposed to wear?" Her incredulity is noted and revenge is planned.

"I…"

"Follow me," she waves me with a smile. I really don't want to but… I have problems with saying no to certain people… and while I've said no to Kasumi before it makes me feel a little bad.

So I follow her to her area of the ship the… crap I forgot the nautical term… left side of the ship… wait a minute are they nautical terms or astron…imi…ical terms.

The first thing I noticed as I entered was… the smell of paper. It's not permeating but I can smell the paper from her books… and the smell of books is one of my favorite smells. I used to love sitting in libraries and reading all day… until I discovered video games I still read but… not as much.

I turn to see Kasumi holding what appears to be a suit, well the Mass Effect equivalent. Black with gray trim,, wait that's the suit from her loyalty mission! Does that mean she wants me to help… wait if I'm wearing the suit that must mean…

"Try it on." Kasumi orders, she holds the suit out to me.

"All right," I sigh at the end. I gently take the suit from her hands.

She smiles and walks out. I lock the door and change. It's a little tight, but not as tight as some of the clothes I've worn. It was just tight enough to be uncomfortable, but not tight enough that I couldn't wear it. Shepard in the black dress…. I punch my self in the head, stop it stop it! I pause and stare out the window into space, I think of how I used to see the stars, mysteriously lights far beyond my reach… That's how I see Shepard now I think. Someone beyond my reach… or at least should be beyond my reach.

The door chimes. I slowly walk over to the door and unlock it. Kasumi is standing on the other side… with Shepard.

"So what do you think," Kasumi asks Shepard.

"You clean up nice," Shepard remarks.

"Why am I wearing this?" I ask it's supposed to be just Shepard and Kasumi a two man… er woman team.

"Nothing," Kasumi smiles. "You don't have to worry about that right now."

"All right then Will change out of that into your casual clothes."  
"Understood Shepard ma'am." I close the door in their faces and a split second later I'm in my casual uniform. I open the door and Shepard's gone. Kasumi is still there though.

"Where's Shepard?"

"Heading down to the planet."

"Oh… wait what?" I do a double take.  
"Shepard took off while you were changing."

"Oh… she's clever." I am going to get her for this.

I head to Garrus' area in the gun turret. "Garrus you won't believe what…" Son of a… she took Garrus with her and left me behind. Oh that stings. She wouldn't have… I head for the XO's quarters. "Miranda you…" The empty office doesn't respond… She took Miranda! And left me! That's it… I'm getting my guns. I half-walk half-run to the elevator. I tap my foot rapidly as the elevator ascends. I power-walk into the armory and… Jacob's not there… She took JACOB! She left me and took Jacob, Garrus and Miranda!

She wouldn't… I run to Mordin's lab and… I collapse, I can't believe she took everyone and left me and Kasumi… wait… there is another. I literally run to the elevator and smash the "Deck 4 Engineering" button, and I'm tapping my foot so hard I might as well be stomping. I run to the stairs that lead to Jack's hidey hole the moment the door opens. I leap down the first set and slam into the wall due to my momentum. I bounce off the wall and fall down the stairs… I've lost my ability to jump down stairs…

"Oi Jack you down here." Subconsciously I prepare to block… any attempts to hit my…

"Robobitch." Jacks' here…

"Badly I came down here to make piece."

"Sure you are it doesn't have anything to do with the fact your afraid, ball-less." Jack's somewhere in the Shadows… I think I see her silhouette.

"I'm just trying to be neighborly… psycho."

"I don't care, pu…" Uh oh bad word bad word.

I interrupt her before she can finish said wordy dird. "I'm just trying to make peace." "I'm not afraid of you, I'm confident enough that if you try anything that might be harmful to myself or anyone on the ship I could stop you." I keep a steady tone… I don't know how I'd feel hitting Jack… after what she did to me I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mind it.

Especially considering she could punch me through a wall.

"We have similar backgrounds…" This might not be the safest way to go but… "You got screwed over by Cerberus I got…" I hold out my geth arm, "…Screwed over by my own demons."

The silhouette I've been watching walks closer to me. I clench my fists nervously but my face shows no emotion.

"Were you taken as a kid? All you knew was they hell they made for you, all you can remember is fighting, killing? Then you are constantly screwed over by those who claim they want to help you? No you haven't been through any of that."

"I was taken from a simple life where I was happy enough, transformed so much my mother wouldn't recognize me, then for fun the Owner gave me someone to care about…. Just to use that person to betray me, after that they took my right arm and replaced it with this… my life might not be as bad as yours was… but it's been no picnic." I wonder how different my life would've been if I hadn't connected with Shepard… might I have ended up like Jack?

"I want to help you." Despite the crotch kicking I actually on some level do sympathize with Jack. That and the fact I can't help myself when it comes to a damsel in distress… wait a minute this is more like a dragon in distress… though I do think dragons cool… and I'm off topic. "Some good faith help, search: Pragia P-R-A-G-I-A in the files you got from Miranda." I walk away, "I just want to help a fellow experiment out."

I don't think I made peace here, I think I might have taken a step in the right direction… though so far I really don't like Jack. Well I like to say everyone on the Normandy is a dysfunctional family… Jack's our Psycho, bald, tattooed, biker gang, aunt.

I hear a beeping noise and glance down… tomorrow's my birthday and the beeping noise was to tell me that… Because of all the space it's hard to track time and dates… but to think it snuck up on me like that… normally I'd be pestering people with hints at what I want… Hints as subtle as, "Hey look at this," I pat the object repeatedly, "I would like this," and I continue patting the object till the person gets annoyed and tells me to stop… I wonder if they got me anything…

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**A/N: All I can say is at least the story isn't dead... I feel I may have gone too far trying to compare Jack to Will... Well if you look at most of my characters they've been influenced by other characters in the games. Hopefully it's not obviously, cloney so...**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hello people. Seeing as, as I write, I'm one review away from one hundred I feel I should say... I've reached one of my three main goals I set for myself when I started writing! Yay... Continued at bottom...**

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Ch. 19

_I spot a glint off a barrel, I notice the person's arm recoil but there's no sound. I glance down at my stomach; a dart is protruding from the center of it. I feel a numbness begin to spread throughout my body, I fall to my knees and a deep despair sweeps over me…_

I feel someone shaking me slightly. I groan and slap their hands away. "Five minutes mom." I roll away from the hands. They grab me again more insistently. "I don't wanna." I start to shake violently. My eyes shoot open, "Who? What! Where!"

Shepard's inches from my face her hands on my shoulders. I look deep into her eyes. "There… a…are better ways of waking someone up." There are a lot worse ways too…

"There are but they take more time." I spot the group of people behind her trying to guide in what appeared to be a giant test-tube… and in fact it is a giant test-tube with everyone's favorite krogan… well one of everyone's favorites, I think Wrex is more popular… Doesn't matter.

"I was wondering what you got me for my birthday but a super krogan," I laugh, "that beats an Xbox."

"Xbox?"

"Nothing," I'm pretty good about little cultural slips… but they happen. "So on the birthday super krogan?"

"Sorry but he's not yours…" She watches them wheel Grunt into the room. He eventually rests where I was just… resting. "… He's mine."

"So you didn't get me anything?"

She just smiles and shakes her head.

"So are you going to open it now?"

This time she smiles and nods.

"Do you know how to speak words?" I'm a tiny bit put off by the fact she doesn't seem to be speaking to me.

"Are you staying if I open it now?"

"Yeah." Maybe I can alter Grunt's first steps… establish dominance… you know show em who the big dog is… well he's the big dog…. I'll show him who the awesomely skilled and cybernetically enhanced dog is.

"Get ready I don't know what kind of mood he'll be in when he wakes up."

"Same kind of mood as someone who doesn't get a party or presents on their birthday?" I smile and shift into a position between her and the tank. The moment grunt rushes I'm going to shoulder check him from the side and knock him over. After that I'll convince him Shepard's way is the right way. Even if I can't… no one says no to Shepard…

"Any problems EDI?"

"No, the subject is stable," EDI's voice is coming from the coms rather than her blue avatar ball thing… "Integration is progressing smoothly." I look to the techs that are plugging in tubes and wires and other stuff

"When can we unseal the hushed casket?" I like my vague references it makes me feel smart and a little poetic.

"Strange turn of phrase… Can we open it EDI?" She seems to talk to herself the first half.

"We must first finish integration then a period of observation…"

"I thought you just said that he was stable?" I cut EDI off.

"The subject is stable but as we unfamiliar with this technology a period of observation is advisable." Well I can understand better safe than sorry… but this… at least to me, is a prescripted event.

"Advisable… not necessary?" Shepard asks. I can see from the smile on her face she's gonna open it right here right now.

"No it would not be necessary but…"

"Open it." Terse… I like it.

"But Commander…"

"I'm not going to be second guessed on my own ship…" she pauses, "by my own ship."

"Understood Commander, I accept your choice…" EDI has a pause of her own to throw in, "you must accept the consequences."

"Fifty credits he tries to kill us."

"He'll join us." Shepard's confidence almost makes me feel like what's about to happen… won't happen.

There's a hiss as the tank begins to open you can see the air filter off the edges. Everything seems to move in slow motion, my hands clench and unclench rapidly as I watch the birth of who I'm hoping will be a good friend. The tank pops open and Grunt spills out. Grunt was born on his hands and knees. He hacks up whatever the clear liquid is in the tube, and slowly rises to his feet. I feel like I should be seeing this in slow-motion from a hundred different angles. Finally he reaches a standing position and his unique piercing blue eyes lock on… me… oh crap.

"Aaaah!" He blitzes me. I'm not expecting that. He was supposed to rush Shepard. So with no time to think I do the one thing that pops into my head first… Meet him in the middle… you see most of my life I've been the big guy that barrels through with few to match me in… bulk, and after the mods I've become the strong man who outmatches most living creatures in the galaxy in physical abilities… except for one species. One species has shown itself to be as strong or stronger than me on several occasions… yeah, it's krogans… and this is probably going to be one of those occasions.

We slam into each other so hard we put car collisions to shame. To my surprise we hold at almost dead even… though of course Grunts fresh out of the tank so that might… I slide backwards from his forward rush; he grips the front of my shirt. I shift my center of gravity as low as I can and plant my feet. I counter his pull with my own. We stand there stalled out for a second. I feel my grip weaken and he wins out and slams me into the wall.

He does a quick once over of me, "Human male." "Before you die, I need a name."

"How about Wrex junior," I slowly move my left hand over, blindly reaching for my knife.

He growls at me and thuds me against the wall.

"Grunt!" I shout out of self-preservation. "How about Grunt…" I gain a grip on my knife.

"Grunt…" He looks down and away as if remembering something. "It'll do." He locks eyes with me again. "I am Grunt."

"I am Will Doe," I introduce myself. "This is the Normandy, and that…" I gesture over his shoulder at Shepard, who by this point had her pistol out and ready to take Grunt down.

"Let. Him. Go." Uh oh Shepard's got her po'd face on… people die when Shepard get's her po'd face.

"Is Commander Jane Shepard, Lion of Elysium, Hero of the Battle of the Citadel… one of the heroes, First human Spectre, and all around badass." My knife's clear to finish whatever Shepard might start.

I see tenseness as if Grunts going to try something, I tap him on the chest with my knife, "Won't work." He looks down and notices my knife; the tip moves a hairs breadth from his throat. "Now," I monopolize his attention. "Think on this, I managed to near tie you, and I'm not even the strongest person on this ship. Shepard is the mightiest battle-master in the galaxy. Facing foes that would make sane people piss in their pants." I laugh despite the fact his arm hasn't moved from his perch. "Sound like fun?"

"If you're lying…"

"Our enemies are the Reapers, they've wiped out all sentient life in the galaxy several times… there are no better enemies to find. Anywhere." Shepard puts her part in.

The air changes in an instant. "It does sound fun." He lets me go from the wall. He turns to Shepard, "If your clansmen are like this you must be mighty, I will serve you." He turns and walks back to the tank and looks at it pensively.

"Will."

"Yes Commander?"

"You shouldn't have spoken for me in there." She scowls… What? "You're confined to engineering, go help Gabby and Ken." She turns on that and heads into the elevator. "EDI Will is confined to this deck until I say otherwise."

"Understood Commander." The elevator closes and I'm left feeling… Mad… very mad… Now how to get Shepard back on a level she'd never expect. Let's see… extranet… holo-manipulation software… I have the beginning of a very, very effective revenge plot.

"A little higher…" I straighten my legs more, adding to my height, thus making Gabby… who was on my shoulders closer to the panel she was trying to access.

"I feel a step ladder would work better." I'm not necessarily complaining… I could carry a krogan on my shoulders… but you know anything that cuts into my revenge scheme…

"This is faster," she answers not even glancing down at me. "Almost… got it." A spark comes down from the ceiling and the lights go out. "Woops." She fiddles around out of my sight and soon the lights flicker back on. "There we go."

"We shipped out a little over a week ago why do we already need repairs?"

"I don't know there have been some minor wiring problems…"

"Shouldn't they have caught that before we left?" I mean they built the ship shouldn't they have been able to see the problems then?

"That's the weird part they didn't become a problem until recently…" She explains… "…It's weird because they feel… off…"

"Off?"

"I don't know…" She seems off center.

"I certainly don't bring much to the table regarding matters of the engineering level…" I spent all that time with Tali but spent none of it really listening… I just loved being around her. The simple sound of her voice, how she'd do her best to help… how different she was from me… She's ask to work… I'd… sigh… I can't do anything… "I'm just a point and shoot guy."

"If you're done on your internal monologue could you put me down?" Sometimes I get… off track. I kneel down and she hops off my shoulders.

"So what's next on the agenda?" I flex the stiffness that was developing out of my shoulders.

"Now we get to take readings on the Mass Effect Field Generator, yay!" She waves her arms in mock joy.

"Don't you patronize me…"

So after learning that engineering can be incredibly boring if you aren't into stuff like that. IT was actually kind of nostalgic… made me remember my times with Tali. Don't worry I'm not falling for Gabby in any way.

Where the hell is Ken?

"Hey where'd Ken go?" I voice my monologue for the ESP impaired.

She doesn't meet my gaze as she looks over the readings, "He's… busy." She hits a few more buttons on her omni-tool and it turns off. "There we go all done." "See that wasn't so bad."

I close my eyes and let a snoring sound rumble through my nose.

"Sure it's not as exciting as people shooting at you and trying to kill you but it's vital to the ship."

"Life gives you lemons…" I shrug, "my lemons just turned out to be bullets and super strength." I grin and she has the same half smile that everyone else has when I say one of my stupid jokes. "So I make badass lemonade."

She rolls her eyes at that and walks back towards the consoles.

I have that effect on people. "Am I done down here?"

"Not yet…" she's very insistent… something suspicious is going on here. "I mean… there are still a few things to do."

Wait… I know what's going on… she likes me… wait that sounded wrong the moment I thought it. "All right what's going on?"

"Working on the ship that's what's going on." That answer is a load of…

"I'm going upstairs." I interrupt my own thoughts.

"No!" Wow she almost made me jump out of my skin, shouting four feet away from me.

"Ok now I know something is going on."

"Shepard gave you strict orders to stay on this floor!" She has a point… now that could mean that Shepard's hiding something from me… I would normally follow her orders but right now I'm just too… curious.

"Will, Shepard wants to see you on the crew deck." Aw… Joker ruined my plans. Great now I have permission… it makes it less fun.

"See you Gab…by?" I turn back to where she was but… she's gone now too. Why is everyone disappearing? First Ken, now Gabby, who's next?

I tiptoe my way to the door, while glancing at any weird noise. I sidle along the wall until I reach the elevator. After almost no wait… that is very suspicious due to the normal traffic, I step into the elevator.

Crew deck, also called deck 3…. I step out; warily… the door had opened to pitch black… Now I'm nervous… I mean my dream mixed with, this… ambush. That's what everything inside of me is telling me… ambush. I half pull my knife out. Slowly I work my way around the corner. Ready for anything… ready for whatever happens. I spot a glint and before I can respond!

"SURPRISE!"

"Ahhh!" I leap back and pull my knife. Like someone's going to shout SURPRISE before attacking me… that would make things easier if they did though…

My "ambush" included about half of the crew, Garrus, Chakwas, Jacob, Mordin, Ken and Gabby, To my surprise Miranda, and last but not least Shepard… Guess, Zaeed, Grunt, and Jack skipped out on my party…

"Are you going to put that away?" Shepard gestures to my knife holding hand.

I'm very conscious of the fact I have a large sharp instrument out and was subconsciously waving it in a threatening manner. I quickly throw it back in it's sheathe. I let a huge smile reach from ear to ear and I step forward. This ship… though we're just starting out, is more than a group of people, more than a crew… I'd say we were all… kind of like family… though of course right now we've yet to really cement that.

Walking towards them though only five or six feet, in that time I'm hit with a wave of nostalgia from my family, and my friends. Just for a moment… I try not to think about things that hurt me… or make me unhappy… but despite myself I keep seeing their faces… keep remembering the moments we laughed, and the moments we cried. Remembering that despite anything that might happen we'd all be tthere for each other… no matter what… what am I doing? Saying I'll never go home… I shoud be fighting to return no matter the consequences… but even as I think that I think of my friends here… and the people I'd like to be more than friends. Shepard… I still don't have an answer anywhere in my head or heart to know where I'm at when it comes to her… I can't… Shake this deep confusion.

It's unsettling, I've never really had to make my own decisions.. I'd always kind of go with the flow, and take the path of least resistance… but… there isn't one now, and things seem to just be getting rougher… and though I never would admit it to anyone… I'm afraid of losing either of them… I'm afraid of losing pretty much anyone on the ship, I remember my first run through on Mass effect 2, I didn't know who to put into what job and played it by ear… I lost Legion and Garrus… I felt devastated, and Immediately restarted the game… cause I didn't want to play Mass Effect 3 without any of them… I didn't want anyone to die… and that was when it was a game… now… God… there's no reset button.

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A/N: ... My goals were...

1. Make a Story with 100,000 words...

2. Get a TvTropes page...

3. Get 100 reviews on a story!

So one down two to go! Thanks for the support and reviews!

...and the patience.


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: It's not dead! If it is then it's a zombie. We all know what to do with zombies... I feel like I'm too far off topic... but... eh whatever.**

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**Ch. 20 **

**"We change, whether we like it or not" **

**Ralph Waldo Emmerson**

At the end I was still sitting in a chair, at a table in the middle of what seemed to be a massive battle with bodies strewn everywhere and the red tint of the drinks actually added to this illusion. I was pretty much the only one still up. The last survivor of the Great Party party all began to turn into kind of a blur. Faces began to melt together as time went on and eventually all the fun and excitement faded away... leaving several dozen crewmembers unconscious on the floor. I'm not even certain if I drank anything with alcohol... people just kept handing me bottles and cups.

The strange part is I felt perfectly fine. I know there had to be alcohol somewhere but... I can conjugate sentences perfectly and I'm not too wobbly. I just felt full. Shepard was in the seat next to me head laying in her crossed arms on the table. Garrus was in front of me sitting perfectly straight up, but his eyes were closed and his breathing (which sounded a bit like a dog's snores) was as rhythmic as the rest of the crews.

I swish around the cup in my hand and watch the liquid inside react. I sigh, I'm betting it's the Owner's fault I'm still conscious. Probably some weird metabolism thing that Mordin will explain to me later and I'll likely not understand. I mean if it is the mods fault why is it I can drink forever but a tiny bit of Varren has me puking my guts out.

Heh, I laugh at my own stupid thoughts. Which really, it isn't all that funny. Guess I must be getting a bit tired.

I watch Shepard shift in her sleep; she buries her head deeper into her arms. I set my drink down and lean back. I'm tired but something won't let me sleep... regardless of how long I sit back and keep my eyes closed.

I rise up and after a cursory glance I notice Joker's not amongst the unconscious. Guess he went back to the cockpit. Hmm... Go see a possibly conscious Joker or sit here amongst the unconscious... and while I don't mind watching Shepard sleep... she's just so peaceful... It doesn't make for the best conversation.

So I grunt and rise to my feet and head for the elevator. Working my way through the bodies in the dim light. Everything was quiet. I carefully step over Gabby and Ken, my last obstacles, and enter the elevator. I hum "For he's a Jolly Good Fellow" as the elevator ascends.

I feel the subtle feeling of the elevator slowing to a stop. Step out into the CIC. Which was empty except for a skeleton crew. Only about three or four people were at their stations. Joker was one of those people.

"Pew, pew, pew." He mimes firing a pistol at various space debris as I walk up.

"Get anything?" I can't help but laugh… I love it when stupid moments from the game translate. Oh my God… what if Legion does the robot? I'd die…

"I wasn't doing anything." He puts his hands down to the controls almost lightning fast.

"How are things up here?" I'm smiling like an idiot… I love staring out at space… all those lights are stars… all those stars have planets… and some of those planets have life.

"Good enough. I mean it's not army of people passed out good but still pretty good." Ah sarcasm…

I glance at his controls and see a button taped down. "That the mute button?" Now I know why he's so happy.

"Oh, yeah." He leans back basking in the silence.

EDI's globe sits emotionlessly next to him, just staring at him. Awe come on don't leave EDI like that she's good people.

I swipe the tape off the button and un-mute it. EDI's globe brightens momentarily and settles back down. "Thank you Operative Doe." I think the glow might be a sort of computeresque rush of emotions… or it's kind of like when you run the vacuum and it makes everything else weird. So when I hit the button to unmute… or I could just forget and not care.

"No problem EDI." I settle in the co-pilots seat. They argue, and argue and, I'm starting to wish Joker had a mute button too. Despite that I can feel myself fading. Sleep always hit me from out of nowhere. I just fade without realizing it. Things just turn to black...

"Get up!" I hear a harsh whispering. "Get up!" It sounds a bit like Joker. "Shit Get Up!" Definitely Joker. Of course anytime I hear the word shit I imagine Joker's run through the ship… wait I might be able to change that… but… you know what let the universe explode, I'm going to protect my friends to the best of my abilities.

My eyes shoot open... I'm currently curled up in the co-pilots chair in the pitch black of the... wait the cockpit shouldn't be pitch black it should have the glow from EDI and the hall and Jokers controls... so why's everything dark? "People had better... be..." I spot a pair of bodies on the ground... "Dying..." I notice Joker in the pilot's chair next to me cowering.

"Joker are you ok?" I whisper. I can barely see but I see a slight shift in his movements. I reach down to my waist... of course I don't have my guns on me. I took them off and returned them to the armory a bit after the party started. The armory that was on the other side of the ship...

"Yeah..." he whispers back. Good he's conscious.

"Any visuals?" He glances around the chair around the same time as me. I hear a sudden pfft of air, and a sort of plink sound against the floor. I glance around the corner and actually see the faint light that I assume is coming from someone with night vision goggles.

"We're boned," I say at a normal decibel. I'm not going down easy though.

"Shut up!" Joker glances back around his chair... and immediately ducks back. "Shit he's closer."

I start to glance just for something to plunk into my chair. I act immediately. Something plunked into my chair, plunked, bullets don't plunk, tranq shots do. I activate my omni tool and point it at the figure; I spot a small holdout pistol in the figures hand. The barrel glints and I feel something puncture my stomach... I know this dance. I charge forward ignoring the numbness spreading from my stomach.

I slam into the figure and knock him to the ground, I go down too as well though. I'm not staying down! I'm not going to lose! I'm not going back to the Owner! I'm Not Ready Yet!

I win the short wrestling match to decide who was on top of the fight and bring my right arm down... with all the strength I can muster. I hear a loud thud as I hit the floor the figure had dodged. I hook my left arm and manage to clip the figure. His head snaps to the side.

I can't feel my legs... the figure pushes me off, and shakily tries to get to his feet. I grab his ankle with my left, I yank his ankle back and take away any balance he had. I rotate my whole upper body and slam my elbow at his now more conveniently located chest... I feel his chest give under my elbow. I feel elation... then despair as I lose the feeling in my arm... and slowly... it creeps up my neck... I give a short choked gasp as everything goes black...

"...e alright?" I think I hear someone talking...

"...ll be up so..." I can barely hear them...

"How the hell did they get on the ship!" I hear them now...

"Shepard, he's... coming around!" Mordin. I manage to tack a name on one of the voices.

"Will!" That would be Shepard, the other voice. Man... I passed out again... well more like I was tranqued.

"I don't want to go to school!" I moan for laughs.

"Seems fine." Mordin responds, "chemical was non-lethal... though numbness is likely used to inspire a loss of hope... and terror." "Backfired... enhanced resistances allowed for counter attack and..."

"I know! I was the one who counter attacked." I sit up despite protests from Shepard and Mordin. "How's my opponent?" I look around the... Medical bay... wait where's Chakwas? A bed down from me I see a body... female, covered... like they do when... oh god. I glance away and spot Chakwas' silver hair out in the mess.

"Dead." Shepard responds.

I lie back down... Never hit girls... a dumb rule I know but... it was a part of me, something I kept close and tried my hardest to uphold, the one moral I managed not to break despite so many things... and... I broke it. He made me break it. I... don't want to... I don't want to fight anymore.

"Will?" Concern is etched in her voice. Shepard… I…

"One rule..." I mumble. I close my eyes, "I had one rule Shepard, no women." Does that count as two rules? "I won't even spar with women."

"Will..." Her voice trails off, "What the Hell is wrong with you!" She's not as sympathetic as I had hoped.

"I broke my rule..." I answer exasperated. A piece of my soul was torn away.

"It's a dumb chauvinist rule!" She practically shouts in my ear.

"But... it's all I had..." The only thing left from my dimension... I lost my body, my clothes, any keep sake I had... except for that one rule... all the others broke with time... except that one... until now.

"If you really believe all these rules set you apart from amoral people? Then what do you think of me?" I pause... "I've broken everyone of your personal rules that you spout off, does that make me a bad person?" She holds my gaze; I see pain in her eyes...

"I'm... not..." I can't argue with Shepard, but I can't let her think that I think she's a bad person... I don't know what I can...

"Not?" She's listening angry intently.

"I'm not like any of you..." I feel like that one missed the mark.

"Us? What are we like?" Definitely missed the mark.

"I... uh... I mean..." Damn how can I possibly recover from completely separating myself from her in one stupid sentence!

"You have got to drop these dumbass notions! Or else one day someone who's depending on you will die because of it!" I stare into her eyes and see pain... is she talking from... "If you can't then get off at the next stop!"

My mind and body freeze... I don't notice Shepard walk out of the room or Mordin after taking a quick scan following after her. All I can think about is her words... how much I wanted to argue... and how little a case I could make against them... I... I don't want to throw the rule away, my central code... but... I'm not... Damn it I don't know what to do! I always managed to survive, to win, even with these dumb naive rules of mine but... I can't just throw them away... they're apart of me... and I've got so few parts of me remaining...

I stare at my geth arm… My fingers are fidgety... Must've damaged it when I slammed my fist into the floor. I glance over at the body of the woman I killed. I can't even try to go to another place in my mind; I can't hide from it... I can't advance to the next part of the mission and ignore it... I'm trapped with it... an... I know I'll never be the same as I was... the day before my 21st birthday...

Happy Birthday... to me... Happy birthday… to me… Happy birthday… dear Will… Happy birthday… to me…


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: Hey people look you don't have to wait a month for this chapter... though it is a big gloomy.**

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**Ch. 21**

"**I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill."**

**Mahatma Gandhi**

Shepard hasn't talked to me since... since she beat me into the ground verbally. I don't blame her but it hurts seeing her walk by... seeing her give me the cold shoulder... Why do I always give people the wrong idea about what I mean? I could ask someone for the time and make them think I want to kill them.

I don't even know what I meant to say... I… I never know what I mean until the words leave and I'm left there alienating someone important to me…

"Operative Doe, Shepard would like to see you in the conference room." EDI's nearby avatar informs me. I glance over to the elevator. Great... I'm probably gonna get chewed out more. Maybe she'll insult my haircut... It's just sort of trimmed, no real style.

"Shepard..." I glance at EDI whose still just floating there. "All right..." I hit the button on the elevator. I know I'm going to regret this. The door opens and... nothing. No music, no random funny thought... no internal monologue. Nothing.

The door opens to the CIC and... nothing. It's just a room now... a room I killed a woman in with my bare hands. I spot a crew member shoot me a quick dirty look... I've seen it. I keep catching looks like that, looks that say one simple thing... "Monster." I don't know why, but I can think of multiple reasons. I don't really care either. Not anymore.

I walk reluctantly into the armor, and even more reluctantly into the hall leading to the Conference Room. Inside waiting for me is Shepard, Garrus and Jack. I nod to Garrus and give a small wave to Jack... Shepard I don't greet I just stand at attention in front of her.

"A colony just went silent..." I know this mission. This is the one where we meet the Collectors kick their collective asses and get chewed out by Ashley.

"I'll be waiting in the shuttle." I turn and head out before Shepard can say another word. I know what I need to know. I can do what I need to do... I just can't talk to her right now. I'll shoot what she wants me to but... until I can actually respond to what she said I... I'm gonna be a robot or as close as I can manage until then. I go to Mordin's lab first before the armory.

"Mordin whatever countermeasure you developed have it put in my armor first." I walk out as suddenly as I walked in and head back over to the armory. The door opens next to me. It's Shepard, "Mordin's got something to tell you." I continue walking. I can feel her eyes on my back... I know she wants to say something... I hope she does... but no... She doesn't say anything to me. So I'll return the gesture… despite how far in the wrong I know I am… I just cant…

I get my guns out and ready. Two Phalanx pistols, two Locust SMGs, an Incisor Sniper Rifle, and my huge krogan knife. The Phalanx's are in dual side holsters down lower on my thighs, while the SMGs hang around my waist, the knife I decided to wear around my waist as well, and the sniper rifle hangs off my back. I lay out the guns, since Mordin has yet to give me the countermeasures. I look at my weapons more closely than usual. My gaze hangs over my knife... my memento of a krogan that nearly killed me, Tali and Zaeed. He was a big tough bastard... glad he's dead now.

Why? Not the dead krogan but… why do I see these items… these little pieces of death so nonchalantly… have I lost my respect for them? For what they do? Am I… treating them like toys… and that statement I'm glad the krogan's dead… that… actually I don't feel that bad about that particular statement... I'm very glad the krogan's dead… I'd even dance on his grave if I know where it was.

I begin to gather the pieces of my armor. First piece was a black under-suit that was similar to light armor, next was the padding of the strange material that covers my chest... it wasn't exactly metal, it felt spongy like Nerf stuff, but hey it's taken a direct hit from an explosion and it's still in one piece. My forearm and shin plates, all a metallic alloy tough enough to allow me to block a swing from a baseball bat... don't ask me how I know that. Lastly the cloak and cowl, while it did make me stand out in a crowd it worked well concealing my weapons and my identity, basically a cape and a hood, both black like the rest of the suit.

I liked the cloak and cowl... it made me look sort of mysterious and heroic. Did I look heroic when I... when I killed the Owner's agent. How did I look? What did my face tell? Was I scared, angry? I can remember everything I did but now... I can't remember how I felt. Chakwas had told me I'd broken most of my assailant's upper torso, her ankle, and fractured her jaw... worst was when she told me I'd broken her rib cage into pieces, the pieces shredded her internal organs... and she died in pain.

It was much more than I ever wanted to know... but I had asked. I... deserved to know what happened in full. I needed to know. I needed to know how. I felt if I didn't… I wouldn't fully understand… I'd never… done anything like that before… crushing someone with my bare hands… I don't like it… it's one thing beating someone up… that they usually wake up later and walk away from… this… this they don't.

Why am I still using this stuff? Why am I using the gifts from the Owner? Sure I stole them but… It doesn't feel that way… they were there ready for me and I took them and I've been using them… gifts from someone I hate… one of the few I develop true hatred for… one whom I can never forgive, one I'll completely ignore my code long enough for him to die.

I back away from my gear and glance over at the standard equipment. Light, medium and heavy armors were labeled on the wall, spares... just in case, also the armory had... guns. I look down at my weapons long and hard, then at my armor. Symbols of a man who's been trying to kill either my morals, or me for the last two years. Slowly... I put the armor away into my locker. Lock it and then turn to a spare set of medium Onyx armor, similar to Shepard's.

I place it where I would normally leave my armor, then I grab two pistols and two SMGs, I reach for a sniper rifle as well... my load-out... It feels too... light. Nothing to really affect heavily armored guys that much... I glance over at the heavy weapons, Shepard had lain out her choice, the Missile Launcher. The grenade launcher lay next to it... begging me to use it... so I put the Grenade Launcher on my table. Perfect.

I need some change… even if it can only last until the end of the mission I need to feel… different… or more the same… I don't know… but hey I get to shoot a grenade launcher so that'll be pretty cool…

I leave, my one feeling of happiness vanishes with the woosh of the armory door... and I spot Kelly... she's typing away at her console, organizing Shepard's messages or mailing a friend... I take a deep breath... I begin to walk over to her. Just to get intercepted by Garrus.

"Will, I need to talk to you for a minute." Why would Garrus be talking to me? I dunno... let me ask. Right now... I'm going to stop my internal monologue and talk to him.

"What's up?" The most generic response to 'I need to talk to you' in two dimensions.

He doesn't answer my question instead he leads me down from the CIC to talk. We share an elevator that I hum 'it's the end of the world as we know it' song. We cross through the mess hall and I spot several small glares… not intentional but something inside of them is angry at me. We end up in the forward gun battery... you know the 'calibrating' room. "You ok?" Worried about me?

"I'd be lying if I said I was fine, I'm not..." I glance away from him towards the med-bay. "...But... I'll endure... I'll survive..." I glance away again, "It's all I can do." I lean back against the door. I... I'm going to lose myself. This place... will take away who I am, what I am... it's been slowly happening over the past two years... and I thought I was going to go more towards who I was when I first met Shepard, because with her acting that way felt right... being that felt right. I felt like I was recovering, so to speak. I was becoming more like me again... but this... this just spun it the other way... I'm going down again... spiraling away from who I am into... into... into what the rest are... and I'm treating it like a bad thing.

I... I don't know... I see their callousness... but... is that what it is? How do they do these things so easily? I've begun not caring, I've started being a fight monger... not a word but... not the point. I don't know, I care deeply about Shepard and Garrus... but... they don't care... A target, a squeeze of the trigger. I'm not sure if I can keep going... I want to protect everyone but... I don't want to kill anyone...

"Keep thinking that way and you'll die." Garrus somehow reads my mind.

"How?" I straighten up.

"You talk while you think." Oh yeah... heh forgot about that.

"I can't... I can never put what I mean into words..." Things descend into silence... and just as I feel like I should leave.

"Your still an idiot..." He laughs, "you haven't realized what you said to Shepard?" I'm guessing by now what I've said has been broadcast through the crew likely through Kelly or Kasumi. "You said you don't want to be like me and Shepard... I can understand but... you called Shepard callous and a villain." "From her standpoint."

"But I don't... mean... I don't... damn it I shouldn't be allowed to talk to anyone..." I break eye contact and look away. "I... I'm... I'm a dumbass aren't I?"

"Pretty much." He let's out a laugh.

"I don't find this funny..." I whine and hang my shoulders...

"It's cute," he laughs, "your first fight."

"Might be our final too." I let my voice fade.

"Shepard likes you enough that you should be able to get by this... if you come clean as an idiot to her." He says it like it's so easy... it's not pride but... I really don't know how.

"What tell her I'm sorry? I called Shepard the evil I wanted gone from this universe... nothing I can do will help now..." I groan... I can't believe how crap my... wait a second... I don't want Shepard to... ah screw that old song... I don't want her to dislike me no matter if we like each other romantically... does it... I'm gonna be on this run around till I talk to Tali.

"How about this... start a conversation with her?" Well... I guess that it wouldn't be that bad... "See if she shoots you and if not consider yourself mostly forgiven." Right now I'm nervous again.

"Where did you get this insight from anyways?"

"Kasumi and Kelly talk to me too." Them…

"Ahh... all is explained then." Whenever they get involved people suddenly get more aware of the feelings of others.

"Just go talk to Shepard." He realizes he hurt his whole, 'perceptive guy' thing he had going by admitting to talking to Kasumi and Kelly.

I've got to throw a joke in… especially since he's ordering me around. "Aye, aye Scarface."

"I have a sniper rifle."

"I'll go talk to Shepard."

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AN: If you liked the chapter review it helps me grow as a writer! Also I've started a journal on deviantart where you can go and scream at me if I'm taking too long.

Check out my page for a link.


	22. Chapter 22

**Ch. 22**

**"One's real life is often the life that one does not lead"**

**Oscar Wilde Quotes**

I want to say I'm rushing to Shepard's cabin at a breakneck pace beyond any speed known to man… but I'm not after finishing my conversation with Garrus I began… meandering around going this way and that with on the general direction of the elevator in mind. I don't like admitting I was in the wrong, no one does. When I don't want to do something I spend all my time trying to get out of it… currently I'm thinking of faking an accident where I break bones but save someone so Shepard forgives me… no. Shepard wouldn't be happy when she found out and she would find out.

I guess I can't get out of it, I come to this realization after wandering and plotting and realizing none of them would work and I should just do what Garrus says. Though Garrus isn't necessarily the best on advice… actually… nevermind I can't use the 'have faith' thing because it probably would have helped if I'd been more patient and taken Garrus along… maybe then… I bump into one of the Cerberus crew.

"Watch it!" I feel like everyone on this boat hates me all of a sudden because while it's true I was not paying attention to what was going on that's a bit more than what's necessary.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you there…"

"You were looking straight at me!"

"I've been caught up in my own thoughts…"

"Focus more on the moment!" He storms off but he gives me something to think about… focus on the moment… The now. Shepard… I'm so sorry. You haven't been reacting to the deaths not because you're numb but because you can't let yourself… you can't let yourself be bogged down by the past… you just keep moving forward… you just keep having faith. Damn it.

I stop meandering and charge straight for the elevator at a fast walk. I know what to say. Well I have an approximation of what to say. I get in the elevator with pure focus and push the button to Shepard's cabin. No songs this is dead serious and if I think of anything else I might lose the words I want to say.

The door opens to Shepard's door and I pause before going in. "EDI?"

EDI's avatar appears next to me, "Yes operative Doe?"

"Is Shepard in the shower?" Don't want another… well she doesn't want another mishap like last time. "Or you know unclothed in any way?"

"Commander Shepard is neither in the shower nor naked." Phew that would really ruin what I have to say.

I open the door and… no one's there… "EDI?"

"Yes Operative Doe?" Her synthetic voice answers.

"Shepard's not in her cabin is she?" I sigh.

"Commander Shepard is currently in the armory." Great… I came all this way focused and ready then, find out Shepard isn't even here…

Oh crap… I forgot what I was going to say. See this is why I didn't want to be distracted I can get these ideas that'll help me and then something happens and it's gone… and I'm left going, "Crap…"

Sigh, "Thanks EDI…"

Back to meandering then… I meander the two feet back to the elevator and push the button for deck 2 the CIC, lab and… armory.

Sigh, the door opens and four crewmembers three guys one girl are standing ready to get on the elevator. I step forward and push my way through… I've never been horribly good at speaking to people. I get by with most of the away team crewmembers… oh god I just called us the away team. I'm gonna punch myself later. Most of the squad members I've talked to I've sort of met in advance. I have a general idea on how they'll respond to certain things… the NPC… regular crew though… I don't know how they'll react and that uncertainty scares me away from them… most of them, Joker, Ken, Gabby and Chakwas don't fall under that.

I feel a soft hand grab my arm as I pass. Slender, I fight my urge to twist and slam. "Hey… we're having a poker game down in engineering…" I take it the voice is coming from the owner of the hand.

I don't respond, I gently peel the hand off my arm. I wish I had my cloak and cowl. I turn and attempt a smile, "Rain check? Got to see Commander." Me caveman, me ask rain check. I lose my cocksure eloquence when dealing with people I'm not sure about. Which is almost everyone outside of the cast of Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.

"Every night same time." She walks back into the elevator. It closes on the trio. I… tend to avoid the regular crew. Faces fly through, the pseudonym trio, and a TV screen Kelly being dragged into the elevator. I stare at Kelly; I see her being dragged into the elevator… only it's more real. I shake it away. I… I might be able to change it. I could. I could beat down every single collector that enters this ship and save everyone… but… Up till now… This is definitely not the time for this kind of thing. I have to try and get back those words… get them out. I'm living on the prayer that I'll see Shepard and the words'll come running back to me, but…

I open the armory door… and there's Shepard… halfway into her armor… Bottom half… This isn't going to end well.

Shepard froze the moment she heard the door open. While things seemed to stop for her and me… in a moment though I had the grenade launcher that I had carefully laid out for the Horizon mission… launching through the air at me. That's a new kind of fear…

It slammed me in the gut and that knocked me back on my butt. The grenade launcher is heavier than it looks especially when it's airmailed to you. Ugh…

"Will!" The door shot closed the instant the grenade launcher hammered me. Great now I'm never getting back those words. You know this is normally the part where I go 'Oh universe how could I ever see such a sight!' I'm actually not thinking anything like that… I'm between 'Sheps gonna kill me' and 'I just saw Shepard naked…' hehe…

"EDI," I spot her avatar appear.

"Yes Operative Doe."

"Shepard was naked in the armory wasn't she."

"Half naked."

I stop and think on this statement… while true… I don't know what it is… but… he.. heh… haha. I start laughing like I haven't in a while. Truth be told it wasn't all that funny. But have you ever had the laughing fits… where you just can't stop… well this definitely wasn't the best time for them. You know funny thing about when I get a laughing fit, it is impossible for me to stop… I mean my parent's have yelled, my sister has pinched me in the arm, a friend of mine even put me in an ankle lock till I tapped. They're very very rare. Mostly after I've had a crap ton of stress… and then there's always some trigger.

I hear the door open and there Shepard is full body armor, armed to the teeth… I stopped laughing. I'm… probably gonna die… and if I do I just want the universe to know… I want to be buried with my stuff… or with the look Shepard's giving me flushed out the garbage tube with my stuff.

"Not my fault, you left the door unlocked." I'm dead meat… who's the closest person I can use as a human shield.

"I left the door locked."

This can't be good. "All I did was push button."

I hear a soft laugh and the elevator opens and closes on it's own… Shepard and I share a look. "See it wasn't me it was the klepto." "Now please don't shoot me."

"Get ready missions soon."

Not enough of a diversion… "Wait… I have to say something."

Shepard stops and notices how everyone in the CIC has at least one ear on us. "Let's speak in private." I follow her into the armory. She turns to me and immediately crosses her arms… oh this is gonna suck.

"Shepard you see… I mean…" Out of nowhere EDI's projector kicks on… a familiar scene, one I'd seen a few dozen times… because hey who doesn't like being on TV. My face, tears falling down my cheeks, a statue of the woman standing besides me, behind the holographic me. I'm shaking like a leaf… man… I don't look good. "When I met her," the holographic me recites… I mouth along; emotions were strong then… still are. "I immediately realized that she was someone special." The holographic me swallows.

I see Shepard staring at the holographic me.

"Someone people would unconditionally love," Shepard stiffens a bit at love… god that was supposed to be a eulogy… Shepard was never supposed to see this… I mean who'd watch their own eulogy… crap, I just realized… I would. "We talked a bit when we were trying to stop Saren." Despite myself is smile slightly at the 'Talked' part. Most of the time it was her interrogating me. The holo jumps a bit forward through the boring parts of the eulogy to… "Shepard said, she'd do everything she could to stop them." I'm so lost right now, but answers are coming to me slowly. "To stop the Reapers." I see contempt flash across my face… this is the part where I say. "And to all the political bastards who try to sweep this under the rug, go to hell!" I see a slight smile on her face, and a small tear on Shepard's face. "Shepard never died." I glance away to hide the tear I've been feeling building up…. "True heroes never die." Oy I was long winded. "I'll make sure what she fought for doesn't, thank you for your time…"

Shepard glances back over at me. "Your parents were better at talking than I was." My voice trails off…

"I liked it."

I step forward and grab her in a big hug. "I was so lost without you Shepard."

I feel her hands on my back, "I want to tell you something…"

"I'm all ears… well technically…"

"This is the part where you shut up and listen to what I have to say."

"Shutting up ma'am."

"I had a friend like you in training Alexander… we all called him Ace though." She had a small smile when she said Ace… but it faded, and uh oh she used had. "He was fast, strong, dashing, loyal and heroic to a fault." She has a sad smile when she says heroic. "He had these rules… this code of chivalry." I'm starting to see a connection here. "One day his ship responded to a distress call to a planet… a planet called Akuze…"

"Christ."

"You heard about it then." Her face is the picture of sadness, "he had it so hard, lost his family in a raid." Colonist… Sole survivor I'm hoping. "He survived where the rest of his squad… he's never been the same." "He would've been able to escape if he… if he hadn't followed his rules and gone back…"

"He's alive?"

"The only one, but… you don't see anything in his eyes anymore… he's numb." She looks away.

She doesn't want the same thing to happen to me… "I promise I'm not going anywhere." I grin but pull away at the same time, "After all we still have to save the galaxy a few more times." I think about the sole survivor and wonder… we have the War Hero, apparently now a Sole Survivor… does that mean Ruthless exists too?

Brain… not now, just think about the fact your still hugging Shepard. "Uh Commander?" Joker's voice comes on over the comms.

"If you tell me you heard everything you're going to have a broken everything." I threaten but don't mean it… he still needs his arms to fly.

"I'm detecting a ship on an intercept course with us." That's…

"Not possible." Shepard's resolute and also removed from my arms. "We've got the best stealth tech in the galaxy."

I clear my throat, "I can think of two who might be able to…" I trail off I don't need to finish that sentence.

Shepard has realization written on her face. "I want everyone to battle stations now!" She rushes back to the table and yanks her shirt off. I'm staring out into space in an instant. Not that I don't enjoy the view… but one airmailed grenade launcher is enough... at least for one day.

* * *

AN: I made a sort of pic of Will considering he's an SI OC though, he looks alot like me of course there are various differences. It was a product of happiness for finishing this and a sense of procrastination towards the next chapter so if you have a Deviantart account, or want to see some vague foreshadowing take a look... link on my page.


	23. Chapter 23

**Ch. 23**

"**What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog." **

**Dwight D. Eisenhower Quotes**

"We're not staying on board the Normandy?" I ask.

"We both know who that ship belongs to, getting you off the ship should have them follow us down and we can use that if it comes to it."

"How?"

"Use one enemy to fight the other."

"A sound strategy," Garrus chimes in.

"I can get behind that." If they kill each other less problems for… wait, if the Owner's guys take down the Collectors then how do we find out about the Reaper IFF? Unless of course I tell them… but I doubt just saying 'hey we need an IFF tag to get through,' will be able to help at all.

"We'll be landing soon."

"Why three people?" I stare at Shepard wanting to shift the topic.

"What do you mean?"

"Whenever we go on a mission you only take two people with you… why not four? Or Five?"

"Small teams move faster, and besides we only had enough time to apply the countermeasures to three suites." Well that makes sense I guess.

"What about when we went after Garrus?"

"Car only seated four."

I faintly feel the shuttle come to a stop and lower slowly.

Untense Will is gone… I'm sure Mordin's countermeasures should work… right? I mean they do in the game… well the Owner doesn't exist in the game but he might just is never shown at any point… off topic again.

The door pops open and I glance at Shepard, steely determination and a will to win. Garrus fiddling with his sniper rifle, but calmness around him. Me… seriously considering wetting my pants… it's one thing to say, in orbit, that the mods of course will work and I have no problem. Some small part of me is repeating, real world not game real world not game.

"We'll be fine," Shepard assures me putting an arm on my shoulder.

We stand as one and get take our first step out, I'm last off and for a moment I stare down at my left hand, I'm shaking. Not from excitement. Why am I shaking? I went up against Saren with a steady hand why do the Collector swarms scare me so much?

"Will come on." Garrus is standing ready and doesn't even look back at me.

"Just nerves," I mumble to myself, I'm just a bit nervous. That's gotta be it. I pull out one of my pistols, only in my right hand though. I keep my left hidden behind my cloak; I can't let Shepard see me shake. Keep up my image as the fearless super-human.

Deep breathes. I step off and settle into position with Shepard and Garrus. "Ready."

"We're groundside; Mordin are you sure these armor upgrades will protect us from the seeker swarms?" Shepard talks into her comm I look behind me and watch the shuttle leave. No turning back.

"Certainty impossible." I'm ok, just shoot things simple. "But in limited numbers, should confuse detection."

"So we'd be invisible to the swarms?" I interrupt my voice cracks slightly. "So we'd be invisible to the swarms," I repeat with a purposely-deep voice.

"In theory," Mordin responds.

"In theory?" Garrus asks.

We move up and listen, I jump into cover behind a column as Mordin says, "…Look forward to seeing if you survive." I check my clip, full. I hear a sort of zzzz from the other side of my pillar guessing Collector Beam?

"Will focus on the Collector with the beam take down his barriers Garrus finish him." Shepard's voice comes in through my comm. I lean out and duck back, a feint, and sure enough Collector beam right where my head was. I wait for it to stop and pop out lining up my shot on the perpetrator, I squeeze the trigger and sure enough my shot bounces off a barrier, so I follow it up until I'm forced back into cover by beam and assault rifle fire. I glance over and Shepard is firing then ducking behind cover then moving down the wall, popping up from different locations.

Idea, I kneel and pop out ready to fire I spot the barriers of the beam holder fail and not even a split second later he drops, with some new brain ventilation. I fire off a shot at a collector taking potshots with an assault rifle. I catch him in the shoulder and he falls back behind cover.

Ha I exclaim triumphantly, and get spot the shimmer of my shields popping up against a return burst… and their swift disappearance. A shot deflects off my chest plate. I dive back into cover. A shot slams into my heel. Not deep though, I hear pair of loud cracks and spot Shepard and Garrus using their sniper rifles.

"Clear," Shepard calls.

"Hit," I call out. I glance down, "Well at least partially." The shot had grazed me. Garrus runs over. Shepard keeps a watch.

"You ok," He asks.

"Fine, I just feel a bit off today." With his help I stand. "I can walk." I take a step and limp forward.

"Will?"

"Fine just a graze to the foot." Painful graze but I've had worse, like when I got sucker punched by an YMIR mech. Ouch… I grab my ribs reflexively.

"What is it?"

"Painful memory." I limp and immediately notice they're both slowing down. Damn it this is a mosquito bite compared to what I usually get, why is it affecting me so much… well mostly I'd guess because they shot me in the foot and that would naturally slow my movement… logic go away.

A seeker swarm is heading straight for us. "Sheep." I whisper.

"Nobody move," she commands. I freeze solid.

We all watch as the swarm approaches, I can make out several individual members of the swarm and they almost seem to see me… then the swarm passes and we continue forward, me of course with an elevated heart rate, which doesn't help much with my wounded foot and now I can feel my heartbeat through it, but I'm fine.

I limp forward after Shepard and Garrus switching to my Rifle, so it looks like I'm doing it on purpose. I duck behind a crate and watch Garrus and Shepard advance.

Collectors jump out and open fire on them, I move the crosshairs onto one's heart… well chest, I don't know if Collectors have hearts… considering their treatment of colonists I sincerely doubt it. Regardless I squeeze the trigger as he pops up to take a shot at Garrus and a three round burst catches him in the chest… gotten love the Incisor.

I grin then, duck when a hail of fire occupies the place where my head was moments before.

I pop out to take another shot and… all the Collectors are dead… it scares me how good Shepard and Garrus are… I mean I'm super human and they kill five times as much ass as I do, and it's not just that… they work well together…

I like Shep but…

"Are you coming?" Shepard calls back to me, beckoning me forward. Not gonna think about this stuff in the middle of a warzone. I move up to them hiding my limp best I can, which isn't very well.

"You sure you're fine Will?" Garrus asks.

"Nothing medi-gel won't fix." I shift my weight and wince visibly. It hurts a bit more… I stop, and kneel; I'll catch up in a second. I lean down to see Shepard kneeling by me.

I pull my cloak away and see the damage was slightly more than a graze.

"Will you lost your pinky toe!" Shepard exclaims.

"Ow." I grab a tube of medigel.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"It's a wimps injury, I should be able lose ten pinky toes a day and say, 'thank you!"

"Your as human as the rest of us."

I stare directly at Garrus, "Like the rest of us." He comments, jokingly.

"You know I didn't mean you."

"Missing toe here!" It's not like before… I don't have to hide pain for fear of showing weakness… at least not around Shepard and Garrus.

Shepard slaps medigel onto the wound, "Ouch."

"Sorry but we can't go back."

"I shall get a robot toe!" I laugh. Why not I've got a robot arm… at least this time it was because of my own mistake. I run my tongue on the fake tooth I had put in after the krogan had smashed my face, you wouldn't know it from looking on the outside, I'm less regretful when I had a hand in the replacements.

They help me up, "We've lost too much time lets move people!" Shepard takes off and I run after her, my limp is less obvious but it'll be there until I replace it.

We run into another ambush but really these Collectors can't stand up to our united power and teamwork. I coup de grace a wounded collector, I see this as a mercy… especially considering what you learn about them being-

"Wait this husk looks different… more advanced than the ones with Saren." Shepard points out.

"This proves it the Collectors are working for the Reapers!" Garrus exclaims.

"But we haven't seen any Dragon's Teeth." I remark.

"The Collectors must have brought the husks with them." Shepard concludes.

I stare at the husk and I get out of my normal happy go lucky mind frame. This was a person, someone's son, or daughter, maybe someone's husband or wife… This is what I'm trying to fight, by doing nothing… I could've changed things… I can change things… I can't stop the Reapers from coming but I can do my best to be ready when they do…

"… Will!" I see snapping fingers an inch from my face.

"Sorry, just lost focus."

"Stay in the moment, do not lose concentration that's how… that happens." She points at my foot. Message received.

I follow after them and we encounter, some resistance but I'm in the moment, Garrus is sniping and Shepard is beautiful… I mean badass. It's like a… stay in moment stay in moment, Garrus ventilates the last Collector's head and that's it for them.

We spot our first colonist stuck in stasis. "They're aware." I exclaim to Shepard. "See her eyesore moving."

"Spirits," Garrus remarks. He's imagining the implications… they're unpleasant. At least that's my guess.

"We should keep moving," Shepard, orders, I notice it was an 'I hate this' order. When we do things Shep knows we have to, no matter what. She's so kind…

"Tali," Garrus mumbles. Does Garrus like… dur. I smack myself in the head quietly. Garrus likes Shepard. Gunfights first, thinking later. Collectors swarm out… heh swarm.

We use the tried and true strategy of shooting them until they stop twitching when…

"We are your destiny." A voice that sends the hair on my neck straight up… I duck out of the way as one of those weird yellow warp blasts slams into my cover. I'm going to tap into a special memory to kill this guy, you see when I first played Mass Effect 2 I didn't know who to use for what jobs and… Garrus took one of those shots to the head… I'm going to revenge that Garrus.

I step out and pull my locusts spraying the Possessed Collector with the full clip, most of it simply bounces off his barrier but near the end, the shots tear through, but he ignores them and energy gathers in his hands. I leap forward and grab his wrists.

Strong! I'm locked down, damn. He kicks at my leg, and I nearly lose it.

"Foolish human." He pushes down against me and I can do little to stop him. I flood my mind with the image of Garrus getting shot and the indignation that this pissant killed him! I push back to level; I spot Shepard and Garrus engaging the rest of the Collectors. I kick out and smash his leg as payback.

"I'm the strong man, I can't lose to you!" I growl as I sweep his leg out from under him. I swing an uppercut to catch him as he falls, and feel my knuckles crunch against his face… head… thing. I hear the shooting die down and I take a step forward… onto the Collector's chest. I pull my Phalanx.

"You but delay the inevitabl-" I squeeze the trigger three times, one for the Garrus I lost on my first play through of ME2, one for the colonists… and one to be absolutely certain. That was therapeutic.

I hear the sound of energy building, and turn, another Collector possessed… his barrier shimmers and fades and a second shot opens a hole in his head. I follow the angle and see Shepard and Garrus both, with smoking sniper rifles in hand.

"Let's move out!" Shepard shouts… wait, did I see pride on her face? My heart jumps… and I lose my balance falling unceremoniously on my ass. Definitely not pride…

* * *

**A/N: So there it was the long awaited Ch. 23, and on who is following them that will be answered later... I should start to become more regular updating now that I'm at break and hopefully with help from a friend of mine will keep submissions under a week.**

**Reviews help me get better so leave one!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Ch. 24**

"**Et tu, Brute!" **

**William Shakespeare Quotes**

We moved forward to the door, "Will get it."

"Understood." I activate my built in omni-tool and it highlights bypass points. I tap the correct pairs and it opens. I had my software modified so that my bypass tool works similarly to the game… wildly expensive… but it makes it easier. The door whooshes open.

Shepard moves in first Garrus second and I watch Shepard's rear… I mean follow Shepard's rear… I'm at the back of the group. Cue noise, gun attention and random survivor.

"Come out." Shepard orders. The Colonist reluctantly steps out from his hiding place.

I ignore him. I fall back into my own mind. Does Garrus like Shepard? I mean like-like… And if he does… should I bow out? I mean… I like Shepard, but I also like Tali so I would be cool… unless Tali… The image of her standing there over me, seemingly apathetic comes to mind. Maybe it was an emotional overload? She couldn't be like that to me… I mean it's me, I make people laugh… mostly at me but they're laughing damn it!

"Move out." Shepard orders.

"I'm locking the door behind you." He says as we pass through.

"That's a good idea, you're too squishy for this kind of fight." I remark. Squishy… haven't used that term in a while.

The moment the door closes Collectors jump out of the woodwork and… a scion… I belch and taste my lunch… wait I didn't have lunch… so what am I tasting? Scions make me queasy. We open fire, and I focus on the scion, but I'm not doing much damage from the fact it's still pointing that freaky deformed oh cra…

My shields drop and it feels like I got punched. Lucky my shields took the brunt of that shockwave or I'd be flying! I start moving, can't hit me if I'm moving faster. I activate my cloak and move out, don't want a Collector Drone taking a shot at me.

I move up stairs and pull my knife, husks are near, and I pull my phalanx in my other hand. I hear them approaching around the corner and I glance around and spot the group moving in… without further ado I put a round into the nearest ones chest… which it ignores and keeps charging. I spot another husk pitch over a new hole in its head. That's Garrus, a moment later a barrage slams into another one and makes it holy, holey… er… full of bullet holes.

I feel the recoil travel up my arm as I sink another three shots into my husk… it falls. Yay.

"Will draw the Scion's fire!" Shepard shouts… how does she know what it's called?

"Roger." I can't believe I just said Roger.

"I can't believe you just said Roger," Garrus remarks over the radio.

"Oh shut up!" I dive out and spot the freaky mutant that is the scion. I squeeze off rounds until my gun hisses at me. "Oi you great big hunchback of notre-ugly!" I'm happy to say I'm at maximum immaturity.

I put my pistol away and pull my Locust. I look up to see the Scion… staring straight at me… oh crap. He fires off a shockwave and I try to jump out of the way… just to get caught by the edge of the blast and catapulted… I spray Locust rounds in it's direction until I slam into the ground. I get the wind knocked out of me and gasp for air.

Ouch… Wait… is that a… husks… foot… crap. I glance up and notice… that's all it was… the husk's foot… I might be sick, as in barf sick not mental sick. Though of course… damn it focus.

"Shep…" I wheeze, "down… wind… ok…" I can't formulate a sentence… that's never good.

"You're downwind?" Shepard asks…

Of all the times to be funny. I still can't breathe that well. A pair of husks stare straight at me… this could be worse, and then a harbinger-possessed collector appears behind them… I really need to shut up.

Only a knife… I can make do, or I could… but oxygen is slightly important and I'm not really getting much. Blurriness argues against my possibilities of kicking ass. I try and force a breath to no avail…

Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe…. Breathe! I scream in my head, I take a sharp inhail of air jump up and the two husks drop suddenly their heads with new ventilation. I rush forward to the Possessed Collector and sink my knife into his chest. "You are flawed." Harbinger says through the Collector.

"You sure ain't perfect yourself," crap I said ain't, my credibility is gone now…

I yank my knife out of his chest and duck low under a powered swing, I rise and slash from hip to shoulder or well the collector equivalent, it falls back to the ground. "Knife-u-ken." I spit on his corpse.

"Thanks Garrus," I fall back wheezing, I was working off that one good breath.

"Anytime." He moves up next to me, "how's the foot?"

"I'd forgotten about it… ow." I feel my heartbeat in my foot again. I take fast breaths trying to regain my lung capacity. I pull my second Phalanx and sit up. I lean back against the wall regaining my breath, I hear gunfire but it's not as frantic, now it's cleanup.

Garrus helps me up and we make our way to the door… that Shepard is already waiting at. "I'm fine," I answer before she asks. "Next time though Garrus is bait."

"Learn to shoot and I'll be bait," Garrus responds with a laugh.

I try to laugh, but my mirth at survival has worn off… and I can only think of how the only sound is the flutter of the swarms' wings. How many people? How many? Gone in the blink of an eye.

I nod to Shepard determinedly, and we open the door guns at the ready scanning for targets. A husk shambles out into the open and a trio of gunshots greet him. Dozens more charge out to take his place and I counter charge I empty one of my pistols and throw it, the rounds take out two and the gun disorients another which I close in on pulling my knife and cutting it open from hip to shoulder.

I draw an SMG and spray point blank at another that came close. Around me I can hear gunfire, I glance and see Shepard spraying a Husk point blank. I get smashed in my face for not paying attention to the fight, and my eyes go fuzzy for a moment then I stop glare at the husk and smash him in the head with the butt of my pistol. He crumples to the ground.

I made it up to the control console for the turret, unlike the game the enemies are constantly streaming in… only husks for now though. "EDI get the guns online!." I turn and pull my sniper rifle by the barrel and smash it over a husks head… fortunately guns are built very tough. His head actually seems to bounce into his chest and back out.

I feel like I'm forgetting something about this part… I hear several explosions, which are quickly! I fly through the air and land on a truck. Getting closer…

Forgot about the Scions, and pain follows. Still I'm pretty durable so a little getting launched fifteen feet into the air and dropped never hurt anyone… at least the truck was here or else it would've been a lot worse. I feel a hand grab my leg.

"Oi hands off!" I roll and almost kick the one who grabbed me's head off, luckily Shepard's good at dodging.

"You alright?" She asks.

"I'm alright," I stand in the truck and we go back to back. I draw and shoot my pistol at a near husk. "Where's Garrus!" I shout I kneel and turn as Shepard sweeps with her assault rifle; I catch another husk sneaking up behind her. We work in perfect tandem, a hurricane of bullets. I heard the Scions shot again and we split jumping out of the way. I spray the Scion with bullets as I circle it.

I spot the trail of a trio of rounds as they slam into the Scion I'm focused on; I glance and spot Garrus on top of one of the buildings, firing rounds of like a machine.

I lose my balance and tumble, but recover enough to sit up and start shooting… only to notice there wasn't anything to shoot… that was embarrassing.

"Meet up at the terminal," Shepard orders through my comm. I heard the roar of a ship's engines and look up to see… the Normandy? No it's too small, it's the SR-1! It levels off and passes over us firing a trio of missiles at the Collector ship. What the? I notice the difference in coloration whereas our Normandy has the space shuttle coloring; this one was almost pitch black. Only a faint red marking on the side, that from this distance I can't make out. It swings by the Collector ship and slows for a moment, and then shoots off again.

I glance over at Shepard and Garrus both of them are as stunned as I am. "Those missiles should have had more impact." Shepard remarks.

"What?"

"Nothing," She says slowly, "EDI we need to get in this fight!" She scowls at the static.

"Shep we might be able to use this tower to boost the signal to the Normandy." Both of them stare at me like I've grown a new head. "You both do remember I've been a secret agent for the last six months right?" I walk over to the keyboard and start typing. "Always treating me like the same dumb kid they met two years ago…" Which is actually who I've been trying to be…

"Joker?" I ask after finishing.

"Will I read you."

I get a smug look on my face, one of the few I get, "Yup, I'm awesome." The yup though sounds more like Ay-yuuupp.

"We'll get you a medal later," Shepard remarks a smirk flashes across her face, then it's back to business. "EDI get these guns online!"

"Errors in the calibration software are easily rectified, but it will take time to bring the towers to full power." EDI responds through our comms. I recommend a defensive posture."

"So circle up?" I ask replacing spent clips in all my guns.

"We have to hold this position, to prevent them from shutting the guns down," Shepard orders. We go back to back to back.

I feel all my senses heighten as my adrenaline rushes through my system. I close my eyes. All the smells I've been ignoring start to assail my nostrils, I smell the grass around me, I smell the almost battery acid like smell of spent thermal clips. The pain of my injuries comes back to me I wince and ignore it. I can taste the clean air of the colony… and I hear the beating of collector wings.

"They're here."

I could try and describe how it started, but it all just sort of happened. The three of us moved in synch watching dodging returning fire as if we were a single organism, and as I heard the guns start to fire on the collector ship I was confident this would be a cake walk ending.

At least until the Praetorian arrived.

I try and keep it's attention by spraying it with the full thermal clips in both of my locusts, the bullets don't seem to pierce it's carapace, my one human arm tingles from the constant kicking of the SMGs, and circling around it like an out-boxer. I duck my head as a collector fills my vision dropping down from above I feel my hood get pulled back by his swing dragging it off my head, I get tugged back by the collector.

I grit my teeth and pull back against the collector my sudden burst of strength surprising him and I begin dragging him along. I grab him by the throat and put him between the Praetorian and me, who was focusing on Shepard. I pull the grenade launcher from my back and let off a round grabbing it's attention.

"Hey pick on someone your own size!" It turns and fires a beam of what appears to be light shredding through my collector hostage. "I didn't mean me!" I shout moving and shooting again. I empty the grenade launcher and duck behind a truck to check my pistols… empty… SMGs… empty, sniper… again empty.

I take deep calming breaths… I'm out of clips damnit. I draw my last weapon. My knife… I'm nucking futs. I place my mask on my face, it attaches through my face and begins filtering the air. I put my cloak in my other hand… I can do it, I can do it, I can do it…

I leap out from behind the truck and charge the Praetorian, it notices me and turns I toss my cloak at it and it blasts it but I'm no longer there, I slide on the ground like a MLB player heading for home against a catcher who's already got the ball. I manage to get under the Praetorian and behind it, I jump on a crate and leap through the air landing on it's back. I stab into the hard carapace my knife sinks down to the hilt and becomes a handle… because the Praetorian isn't happy now.

It begins bucking and my knife is the only solid hand hold; suddenly I see it start to glow beneath me… oh crap forgot about the! It slams down into the ground and two pulses hit me before I hit the ground… ouch. I lie with my breath yet again knocked out of me, shields down not a shot to my name… I watch as the Praetorian approaches, it screams it my face with an inhuman roar. I spot the huskified bodies in it's mouth… is that what'll happen to me if I go down here? Just another husk…

Suddenly a bright beam lances into the Praetorian's side burning into it, it turns and I spot Shepard with a collector laser Garrus standing beside her his rifle at the ready… waiting?

Suddenly he fires, and the round pierces the Praetorians thick armor right where Shepard's laser's been concentrating! It screams and airy inhuman scream and vanishes in front of me as if it had never been there at all.

I manage to recover my breath and start to stand, I fall and settle on just sitting up. "You've always been good bait," Garrus remarks walking up.

"I could use a nap," I remark falling back down and laying on the ground. Without warning the ground begins shaking slightly, and I hear an earth-shattering roar. I roll over and look towards the Collector ship.

"It's taking off!" Shepard shouts. It slowly starts to lift into the air the defense towers continue pounding the ship as it leaves and on cue…

"No don't let them get away!" He runs past us.

"There's nothing we can do." Shepard says to him, I see the sadness in her face, "They're gone.

"Half the colonies in there," he says pacing quickly from side to side his eyes not leaving the flying collector ship. "They took Egan and Sam and… and Lilith." He turns to us, "Do something!"

"I didn't want it to end this way." Shepard answers.

"We did everything we could have," I remark putting my hand on Shepard's shoulder. "We've done more than anyone else has managed to Shepard."

"Shepard?" The mechanic repeats her name, "Wait, I know that name." He looks dead at her, "Sure I remember you, you're some type of big Alliance hero."

"Commander Shepard," A very familiar voice says. I spot her come walking towards us, "Captain of the Normandy, the first human Spectre, and savior of the Citadel." She smiles warmly "You're in the presence of a god Delan back from the de..."

I rush forward and before she can continue I lift her off the ground in a bone crushing hug. "Ashley!" I shout, "You're alive!" I'm going to hug her before she gets the chance to say hurtful things.

"Will you haven't…" I track her gaze to my geth arm, "changed."

I put her back down gently. "Bad memories," I respond.

"Where have you two been?" She asks. "We all thought that the both of you were dead."

"I was captured by an evil organization that experimented on me for several months before breaking free and joining Cerberus for protection." I finish that in a single breath. "So what've you been up to?"

Ashley reaches a hand out towards Shepard and they shake, "It's been too long Ash. How've you been?"

"That's it? You show up after two years and act like nothing's happened?" Oh no, too negative, things are going downhill! "I would've followed you anywhere, Commander…" She pauses and momentarily gathers strength, "I thought you were gone… both of you." Oh no I'm in her sights now. "Why didn't either of you contact me, why didn't you tell me you were alive…" A look of utter betrayal comes over her face.

I feel something stirring inside me…

"It's been two years you've moved on with your life, with your career." Shepard looks away, "Why reopen old wounds?"

"I moved on but here you are pulling me back…" She looks at both of us, "And now you're with Cerberus."

"You don't understand…"

"I understand enough we've been receiving reports… that the two of you were alive… and working for the enemy." She has anger in her eyes.

"Our colonies are disappearing and Cerberus is the only group doing anything about it." Shepard's voice is calm but I can see hurt… almost if she wants Ashley to understand.

"Bullshit I know what Cerberus is like," She's constantly clenching and unclenching her fists, "they talk about putting humans first but at what cost!" She looks over at me then back to Shepard, "I wanted to believe you were alive, but I never expected this." She glares squarely at Shepard again, "You turned your back on everything we stood for!"

"Ash…"

I realize what I felt stirring, I'm pissed. "Shut the hell up!" I step forward towards her till I'm less than a foot away. "Do you understand what I've been through?" She tries to respond but everyone's surprised. "Don't you look at me or Shepard and act like either of us has betrayed you!" I'm conscious of how tightly I'm gripping my hands in fists. "I was tortured for months on end, I lost my arm…" I lock my gaze and I can feel my eyes start to water, "Where the hell were you! And the fucking Alliance." I'm staring down at her from my full height, "How many nights did I imagine a marine team lead by you or Garrus breaking down the door and getting me out of there." I poke her in the center of her chest pushing her back. "How many nights was I disappointed!" "I still kept faith month after month… and nothing!" I take a step back, "I got myself out, and I did what I had to to survive, and I'll never accept anyone saying I betrayed them when they left me to be tortured!"

I take a deep breath, "I don't deserve that look you've been giving me and neither does Shepard and if your faith is that easily shaken in either of us then maybe you should stay with the Alliance… far away from me." I turn my back and start walking towards Shepard. "You said you 'would' follow Shepard anywhere that's the difference between us I did."

"Come on guys let's go home." I fight the urge to show emotion, I however can feel a few tears work their way down my face.

* * *

A/N: Will can man cry and still be tough right? So there it is the showdown... er meeting with Ashley. I updated in a week feel my might plus Will dropped an F bomb! I wrote 1400 words today I'm tired.

On to Life!


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: A day late but better than a month late.**

* * *

**Ch. 25**

**"You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,**  
**Know when to walk away and know when to run.**  
**You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.**  
**There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done."**

**Kenny Rogers, The Gambler**

"You alright Will?" Garrus asks. I look around the shuttle and both of them are still staring at me.

"Sorry I don't know what came over me… I probably screwed up…" I look down and sigh. "I shouldn't have lost my cool but…" I spot movement out of the corner of my eye and Shepard's sitting next to me.

"Don't apologize you stood up for the both of us," she kisses me on the cheek and I enter the dopey zone where I sort of lose focus and smile dumbly. "You did screw up but at least you screwed up in a sweet way."

"You said a few things down there…" Garrus cuts in, "that didn't just apply to Ashley…"

"Garrus you took a missile for me you're in my good books." I respond really I doubt I could be mad for a while. "Plus you didn't treat me like a traitor to morality."

We grow silent for the rest of the shuttle ride. I keep thinking back to what I said, and how I was torn… I shouldn't have gone so far, don't get me wrong I'm not saying I shouldn't have shouted but I basically placed the blame for all of my pain on her shoulders and while… while I did feel that disappointment I voiced… every time I began to drift off to sleep... Dozens of dreams about being saved...

We docked and disembarked from the shuttle, the pilot grabs my attention, "Hey Will I'm off to a game of Skyllian five with Ken and Gabby, want to come along?" I sometimes forget the pilot can hear everything we say in the back.

"I've got to get to the debriefing with Shepard and everyone but save me a seat." Then my mind blanks… I hate it when this happens. "Sorry brainfart, what's your name again."

"Guillaume Biche, call me Guile." He reaches out to shake. Caucasian, one blue eye one green eye, military cut, short trimmed sides, he's as big as me but looks twice my age. Not much of a threat. "Guile you know like the guy from Street Fighter." He takes a faux fighting stance and laughs.

I shake back not realizing I'd put my geth arm out… it happens and it's always awk… he shakes my geth arm… most of the time my arm makes people uncomfortable. Ok this guys got an extra points in my book. I glance down and notice something… I should have sooner… he's missing his pinkies... I can see the scarring, long sealed.

I shake my head and walk towards the elevator, I spin but keep moving towards the elevator, "Remember save me a seat, so I can clean all of you out." I laugh as I enter the elevator.

"They have an SR-1." I walk in on that. "How can they have an SR-1?" Garrus, Mordin, Jack, Miranda, Kasumi and Shepard were all standing around the conference room table. Garrus the one who asked the question.

"The Owner's shown that he has contacts in high places and resources equal to or greater than that of Cerberus." Miranda chimes in, "I'm only surprised it's just an SR-1."

"On the outside," I remark before I can stop myself.

"Will?"

"We'd be stupid to believe all he did was make a replica, of the old one," I add, "who knows what it's hiding behind that black armor." I cross my arms and something occurs to me. "What about the missiles?"

"Right when the fake-Normandy dropped in and attacked it fired a trio of missiles that didn't have the impact missiles of that size should."

Shepard taps a button on the table and three view points of the ship swinging in and firing off the missiles holographically appear above it. It freezes at the moment of ignition and the image zooms in rapidly.

"EDI get rid of everything else but the missiles."

"Yes commander," EDI responds everything else fades out of the trio of images with the exception of the blurs that were the missiles. "The objects are 5 feet in diameter."

"Hm, flaps along sides for steering, strange…"

"What?"

"There was a burst of data from the objects prior to being fired, and then stealthed, not much data but Eezo readings similar to high-grade inertial dampeners." He adds as technical readings pop up in thin air, I'm assuming they support his claims.

"Why put inertial dampeners on missiles?" Garrus asks.

"Can think of reasons, chief amongst them, fragile payload." Mordin responds, "they aren't missiles, they are transports, designed to break the outer shell of ship." A boarding craft?

"What would they have to gain by boarding a collector cruiser."

"Sabotage, information, resources, motives uncertain, what is certain is that over these three missiles can carry a dozen average sized human beings, in full combat gear." If Mordin is right… and it's Mordin so he likely is, why?

"It would be a suicide mission," Garrus remarks, "12 against hundreds of collectors."

"Is that any different than what we're doing?" Miranda asks, I turn away.

"Will?" Shepard asks.

"I don't want to think about this any more…" I grin weakly. "I'm sorry I've got a poker game to get to." I head for the door. "I'm just… tired." I respond before Shepard can ask what's wrong again.

I walk over to the armory and clear out my clothes from my locker. I take off my shirt, and flinch… I should probably get checked out. I slide off my boots… oops forgot, and the injury to my foot wasn't as bad as I'd thought. Only the top half of my pinky toe is gone… woo hoo?

I gingerly slide my pants off and I'm left sitting there in my boxers… as the door opens and the entirety of the crew in the conference room excluding Mordin walks in…

"We've got to get better locks," I remark. I put my pants back on.

"Or you could change in designated areas." Miranda remarks.

"Normally I'd spend half an hour making jokes but… I'm tired and I've got a poker game to get to." I slide my pants on and throw on a shirt and go barefoot the cold metal floor barely registering the… er frigidity of it. With all my adrenaline gone completely I can feel the ache in my foot more pronounced. So it comes out in a limp… So I limp my way to the elevator and then it hits me… Where is the poker game being played?

Screw it I'm going to med-bay. I hit the button and limp out gingerly, and eying anyone who even came close to walking by me. I open the door to the med-bay and Chakwas is checking up Guile… I thought he was at the game?

"Hey Will," He looks… nervous… sort of.

"Chakwas I got shot in the foot… it hurts." I hold up my foot.

"Why didn't you come straight here?" Chakwas asks… "Please tell me you were shot down on the planet."

"I was shot on the planet… it's just it didn't hurt that much." I respond.

"For future reference, getting shot is serious business." She sighs, "Sit over there and when I'm done with Mr. Biche I'll take a look." She's scanning his hands repeatedly, she hushes down to a whisper, but that's never stopped me from hearing. "I'm sorry but I can't do much about the pain… according to the scans you are fine… have you considered…"

"That it's psychological?" He whispers back… "That's what my other doctor's have said before." He smiles weakly, "Thank you for looking at it anyway, thank you Dr. Chakwas."

"It's my job," She replies smiling calmly. "And please call me Karen."

"Thank you Karen." He winks with a smile. Wait is Chakwas blushing? He gets up and walks out rubbing his pinky-nubs.

I smile at her as she turns toward me, "Someone's got a crush."

"Oh be quiet," She smiles warmly. "Now then shot in the foot."

"Yes aliens shot my foot." I can't stop grinning, "So you've got a boyfriend."

"Well there are worse places to be shot," she shares my smile, "He's not, he just comes in every couple of days."

"What was wrong with him… if I can ask."

"Ask him he makes no real secret of it…" A sad look starts to come over her face, "and how it happened." She runs several quick scans on my foot.

Now I'm curious… well more curious. "So how bad am I?"

"The wound was treated well enough, and there are no signs of infection, I'd suggest coming in once a day over the next week so I can check on it but you should be fine." She turns away from me.

"Thanks doc," I lower my feet to the floor, "you wouldn't happen to know where a poker game was being played?"

"I believe it's going on down in engineering." She responds, "Now remember you have to come by each day so I can check your progress."

"Understood," I leave the med-bay behind. I pass through the mess hall, I ignore glares from a few of the crew… I killed her, I deserve their looks…

I reach the elevator and hit the button for engineering. I see her lying on the table again covered from view, the smell of death and it's silence permeating the room. I didn't want to kill her… and truth be told I wouldn't be as torn up about this if it was a guy. I know it's sexist but I was raised to respect women and while I may make a bad joke every now and then I do… you don't cave in the chest of people you respect.

I shake my head as the door opens… I've already brooded over this enough; I shove it to the back of my mind and decide to ignore it. I glance over towards the cargo bay at the Kodiak… I wonder if we'll pick up the Hammerhead?

I turn left towards where Ken and Gabby are always at when they're on duty. I walk in and see a fold out table in the middle of engineering. Guile, Ken, Gabby and… one of the many crew who glare at me whenever I walk by… this is going to be a fun game.

"Deal Will in," Guile says. Ken tosses me five cards…

"Hey Ken, Gabby," I give each a nod in turn.

"Will this is Michael," Gabby introduces him.

He's glaring at me, so much so that I really want to pull out one of his brown eyes. "Nice to meet you," I reach out my hand… my human hand… and… he makes no move to shake. Well I tried to be polite.

I drag up a chair and we start playing, straight off Ken goes all in. "I've got this hand." He says smugly.

"All in," Guile responds immediatly. The rest of us fold.

"Dammit," Ken reveals a pair of 2s. "How'd you know I was bluffing?"

"I've been around alot of liars," He drops his hand... pair of 3s. "You aren't good at it," he says with a laugh. We continue playing for two hours and no one comes out that far ahead... except for guile who loses the least and gains the most of any of us. Throughout it though Michael across from me has stayed practically dead even with me, and I want to crush him...

"I'm about to call it a night," Guile informs us, "old and tired go hand in hand a lot," he grins. He throws a glance at Ken, "Plus I'll need all the energy I can get carrying all of Ken's money away." We all share a laugh… so I need to win the next hand… if only to put Michael in his place.

"Deal 'em."

Ken passes five cards around, and… the air gets very tense… and now Final Countdown is playing in my head and it's very distracting. I stare at my cards one by one…

First Queen of Hearts… then Jack of Hearts… King of Hearts… Ace of Hearts… and… Queen of Spades… two queens… heh story of my life…

"All in," Michael says immediately and scratches his black hair. A tell… I've never been good at tells… then again he doesn't know that so he could be faking a tell to confuse me… well the jokes on him I don't have any idea what I'm thinking anymore.

"Getting rid of any Will?" I pause, at Ken's question. I glance at my hand again, at the two queens… do I stay or do I go? Great now that song is stuck in my head.

I thumb both of the queens… I have to choose...I can stay with the queens and have a fair hand dealt to me... but if I get rid of one I can end up with the best hand... or the worst hand...

I let out a sigh, "I'm out," I drop the cards, face down.

I catch a glance from Guile, "One," wait a minute that's… the queen of spades? Wait I have… I let a grin show on my face. He catches my grin and returns it. I like this old man. "All in," he says the moment he gets the card.

And the look on Michael's face, as he revealed the exact same hand I had, minus the Queen of Spades, plus a 10 of Hearts… Straight Flush

"You gotta know when to hold and when to fold em," He pats me on the shoulder. "Cash me out," he says to Ken.

"I want to be like him when I grow up." I laugh, and it's exactly what I needed today. You gotta know when to hold em know when to fold em... I actually don't mind getting this song stuck in my head.

* * *

**A/N: Now there are symbolism in the cards, and I'd like to hear your guesses on which cards stand for which people... Next chapter I'll tell you whom I had in mind for them.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Ch. 26**

**"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."**

**Muhammad Ali**

_"We need to land immediately!" A woman's voice shouts._

_ "Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking we are currently being fired at by disagreeable people, men hold on to your underwear or lose it… women feel free not to." The room shifts suddenly and I'm falling face first towards a wall._

HA! Well that's a first. Usually I wake up ready to kill something… this one however is different... I mean it's still danger… but… its funny danger. I can deal with funny danger… even if it… seems like my head about to get caved in.

I roll off the med-bay table… my sleeping area for the night, and thud against the cold hard floor. I've got to admit my least favorite place to sleep is the med-bay though, brings me back to when I was captured… but I'm in that kind of mood. This is why I hate thinking after waking up I'm just tired enough to be crotchety, and lucid enough to find a viable reason for it.

I… completely forgot that TIM just gave Shepard the rest of the dossiers! I jump up and do a little dance. "Do a little dance…" I narrate my action verbally.

"Someone's in high spirits," ah… Chakwas is here… awkward.

"I did pretty well at poker last night," I respond hesitantly.

"I heard Guile cleaned you all out." She answers with a laugh.

"No, just Ken and Michael."

Her eyes soften for a moment…

"What?"

"You didn't know about Michael and Delilah." The blank look on my face makes me feel very stupid. "Delilah was the girl you ki… who tried to capture you." Her look to me softens a bit, "Michael was her…"

I fall backwards on my ass… "I'm such a…" She gets a 'you didn't know look' on her face. "Maybe I should avoid the crew altogether."

"Don't do that," She gets up and sits next to me. "They're not mad at you… most of them understand…"

"I'm mad at me," I respond, "they can join in…" I laugh as a tear rolls down my face, "Not a damn one of them knows what I've been through… all they know is the super-soldier killed their friend… and that's all they want to know." I stand up, "This is why I hate talking." I was in a good mood now bad mood… gives me a bad feeling something's about to happen. Usually when I go through drama, bad stuffs around the corner… like combat, getting hit in the nads… lots of bad things.

"If you need to talk…"

"I need to hit something…"

So five minutes later I find myself dodging a krogan haymaker, I asked Grunt to spar with me in the cargo bay. As I feel the wind off another of the giant krogan's punches I start to wonder why.

I feel the impact through my arm when my fist crunches against Grunts face. Unfortunately he doesn't feel it… and fires back, I block… and it doesn't help much.

"No, no you're doing it all wrong!" Guile's voice echoes, Throughout the cargo bay.

"Really you can do better," I respond laughing through what I think might be a broken arm.

"I've had my tussels in the past," he takes up a boxing stance. "C'mon you bit lizard I'll show you how to fight."

"Grunt… don't hurt him," I plead, "he's funny."

"No promises," the big krogan says, moving towards the old man.

"Wow, up close… you're less impressive I must say," Guile does not know when to shut up.

Grunt comes back for a swing, and Guile punches him straight in the face… Grunt is about as stunned as I am. He goes back with the other arm Guile hits him again. Then Grunt charges him and… Guile just isn't in front of him anymore and a dull fleshy thud tells me Grunt has been hit yet again.

"It's all about timing and knowing your opponent, for you," He points at me, "for you," he turns to the big krogan who has recovered.

Grunt doesn't wait and goes for a swing again just to get punched in the face. "It's anger, though krogan generally do better angry… most of them have prior combat experience the anger brings out instinctively."

"How do you know about fighting?" I'm shocked… I was getting my but kicked.

"Fighting is just another sleight of hand." And he's already shown how good he is with sleight of hand. "Make your opponent think you're doing one thing." He winds up to counter Grunts punch… but Grunt knows this already and it's a feint… so was the wind up, Guile's other hand leaps forward and hits Grunt in the face…

"Whoa."

"Now I'm not strong enough for these to actually hurt the big guy," He laughs… he glances over at me, "but you are." He stops… "Hold up big man," he's panting… "Can't move like I use to." He goes over to the side and sits down. "Please continue."

"Countering…" I haven't had that much faith in timing… and most of the time I like to barrage people into unconsciousness. I move up against Grunt… who's showing absolutely zero damage. He swings in like usual, I slip by and return… just for Grunt to catch it.

"I'm not as stupid as you think." He laughs trying to crush my fist. Too bad… Geth arm.

"Sorry," I grin back, "built Tonka tough." I step a foot behind Grunt's legs and push for all I'm worth… he trips, yay! He keeps his hold on me… boo… this is going to end very poorly. We end up rolling and punching… unfortunately for me his hurt me more than mine hurt him.

"Is this sparring or are you two in love?" Guile asks… and we separate fast. "Fight better." He says simply and leaves… he sounded almost disappointed.

"He's good for an old man," Grunt points out.

"I'll repeat… I want to be like him when I grow up." I glance back at Grunt, "I'm not weak am I?" I walk wistfully towards the elevator.

"You're not strong," he laughs…

"That's it I'm going to punch you into the ground," I windmill my arm.

"Heh, heh, heh," he does his signature laugh punching his fists together.

I'm going to get his respect, I got Wrex's and I'll get his… even if I end up in bucket loads of pain. We rush each other ready to smash each other's face in. At the last moment though we both stop cold. I feel a chill go up my spine, "You feel that?"

"Yeah…" Then I slowly began to turn around… "Hi Shepard…" She's not happy, at least her face is giving me a not happy feel. I feel my face deform around Grunts fist… ouch. I fall over.

"Grunt!" She's crossed her arms…

"Dropped his guard."

"Ooo we're gonna get it." A krogan just punched me… I'm clearly not in the right state of mind. "We're sparring." I sway side to side in a daze.

"Oh, sparring?" Shepard says, "mind if I join?"

"Don't it's a trap," I warn Grunt.

"I don't see why you're so afraid," he moves forward boldly. Shepard get's ready but seems calm, Grunt rushes forward and swings… and I feel the thud as Shepard flips him and he slams onto the ground.

"Now I'm still a bit hazy… when did you get super strength?" I start to stand. Shepard staring at me now… oh no.

"Now it's your turn," Shepard starts to move towards me.

"Punched by a krogan," I back away.

"You are sparring or…" she gets a mischievous smile on her face, "you don't get to go on the next recruitment mission." She crosses her arms in more of a cocky I know something you don't know. Little does she know… "And you will want to join me on the next one."

I rise up, "Fine…" I shake out the krogan punchieness, punchedness… shaking off getting punched by a krogan.

Shepard steps forward and smashes me across the face, my head snaps to the side. "Come on."

I give a half-hearted swing and hit nothing but air… Shepard however did not pull her punch and I feel the return hit from her knock my head back… I swing again and again get smashed in the face… now I'm getting a bit aggravated. I step up my speed, I step in and grab Shepard's wrist… and next thing I know I'm staring at the ceiling. I smack the ground in frustration.

"I'm not weak!" I jump up to my feet. I swing in fast and Shepard dodges, but I'm expecting that, so I step in and grab Shepard in a bear-hug. "Ha!" Shepard then knees me in the stomach and head-butts me. I fall backwards… "Ouch."

"Get up."

"No thanks… you win."

"Get up." She orders. Great when Shepard's like this the best thing to do is obey... and hope to come away with few bruises.

"Fine." I rush but stop short, I go low for her legs with a clothesline that would flip her, she jumps I continue with my momentum extending my other arm spinning and backhanding her in the stomach… heh. She falls back, oops. I walk over to her, "Are you ok…"

She kicks my legs out from under me, and I feel the cold hard deck slam against me. I feel a weight on my stomach and see Shepard is currently pinning me to the ground… by sitting on my stomach… ok now I'm uncomfortable…

"Ow!" She hits me in the face! Now I'm in pain.

"I guess that's enough for today." She's apparently let her stress out.

"You punched me in the face!" I yell.

"I feel a lot better now." She stretches and walks out; I on the other hand stay seated. Can't say I don't know how to pick 'em… She's like a natural disaster… a hot… er… natural disaster!

"We got our asses kicked," I remark to Grunt who's long since recovered from being flipped.

"You got your ass kicked, I was flipped."

"At least I had the chance to fight back."

"You want to fight!" He slams his fists together again. The hairs on the back of my neck raised…

"I think Shepard just gave us the evil eye through bulkheads…" I glance around. "Anyway I think we've been hit and hit each other enough for one day." I stretch my arms to the sky. I leap to my feet. "We'll spar again…" Promising to fight a krogan again… not a krogan, Grunt, anyway I need to overcome my handicap… the fact is… I keep seeing that krogan each time Grunt swings at me… the one who captured Tali and nearly killed both of us…

Well with nothing else to think of I think I'll try and satisfy my curiosity about something. So I hopped in the elevator… realized the stupidity of jumping in an elevator stood pushed the button for the crew deck ready to canvas the entire ship in a search that would make Sauron's search for the ring of power look like… oh there he is.

"How'd you lose your pinkies?"

"I'd heard about your legendary subtly I never thought I'd get to see you use it." Guile responds with a laugh, a pained laugh. He notices I'm not moving and he sighs, "Well have a seat…" We're in the mess hall… so I sit across the table from him.

"Sorry about being so blunt but…" I'm scratching the back of my head awkwardly.

"Couldn't think about how to casually bring it up?" He laughs again but now he's got this continuously furrowed brow. "I don't mind straightforwardness or curiosity… they're a rare thing, annoying at times…" I wince… "but occasionally more refreshing than bantering pleasantries while searching for weaknesses."

"Before you start let me just say, you are not very pilot like," I realize how dumb it is considering I know very few pilots…

"That's because I'm going for an old mysterious mentor routine," He winks, and laughs. "I've told this story a lot, and I'm past what it did to me… but you'll forgive me a moment to gather my old memories… because you're reaching back a long time… a very long time."

* * *

**A/N: Cliffhanger!This ones late because I was a bit uncertain... but anyway it's not a month so...**

**Go read Vanguard by Strife Okami. It's a break from SI's, though it is an OC story. I like it and I figure if you like this you'd like it too.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Ch. 27**

**"So great was the extremity of his pain and anguish, that he did not only sigh but roar."**

**Matthew (Mathew) Henry Quotes**

It happened a long time ago…

I'd been left on Omega alone… in my teenage years… it was hell for the longest time… but I met someone who taught me how to survive… how to fight… and since my abandonment… he became like my father... well enough backstory.

I was a young mercenary on Omega, and an agent from a batarian abolitionist movement targeting slave rings on Omega, had hired the group I was with to… well generally make slavers lives hell.

We raided their "storehouses" assassinated important lieutenants, most of the time though our hits were fast, quick in and out. Very few sustained firefights… Hal… our turian leader… well his full name was Lechaliferax… understand why we called him Hal? Hal kept us out of them because… well I was still a greenhorn and he was old.

"Come on," I said to Hal, "we've been kicking their teeth in all across the board."

"Because they haven't seen us coming," Hal reminds me, "something feels wrong about this one…"

"This is the largest haul to come in since we've started," I remind him, "we almost have to attack them." I cross my arms over my chest.

He pokes me in the center of my Onyx light armor chest plate. "That means they'll know we're coming." He turns his back… "Down!" He whispers harshly. He grabs me and we drop… our position is over the warehouse in one of the more open parts of Omega.

"I don't think they see us," I remark glancing over the edge, our armor is kind of hard to see in the dark… both of us were in pure black armor, good for skulking through shadows, hell we'd even painted our faces black...

"Is Sederis' team in position?" He asks, I check my omni-tool, they're going to break through the walls so they could only send text. Despite his arguments… I know he's not willing to leave those people to become slaves.

"UNIT 2 IN POSITION." Her message read…

"She left the caps on."

"Does that matter?"

"It bothers me…"

"Old man," I laughed a noiseless laugh. "I'll cover you from up here," I pull out my old Mattock with scope… we weren't a very rich merc group… so I couldn't afford both a sniper rifle and assault rifle so I picked one that was good enough for both. Plus after all the crap Hal's put me through I can replace a clip in my Mattock fast as lightning.

"All right," He skulks off… the reason I'm back here and the old turian is moving in is he's a lot better than me at hand to hand.

Even now I'm not even close to how good he was.

Two quick shots and I dropped the first of four guards patrolling the outside. Another two and the guards on our side are down. I check down range and… both are gone down there as well.

"Nice shooting Clean-Suit."

"Not so bad yourself." Clean-Suit was a nickname for our quarian squad mate. He was a fair sniper but much too smart for mercenary work… seemed more like a scientist.

"Up to them now," Our plan was simple, two snipers to eliminate the outside guards… next our two close combat specialists hit them from both sides… fast and hard… and we watch in case they get reinforcements.

A frantic and furious chorus of gunshots mixed with biotics sounds out through the area… I pick off a batarian that starts sprinting towards the warehouse… missed one I guess.

Then silence… "Hal, Sederis?" I'm not getting a response… crap… "Clean-Suit I'm not getting anything from Sederis or Hal can you raise them?" Nothing… what the hell is going on? Hal and Sederis are trained commandos… well Hal is Sederis is a… prodigy when it comes to war… that's how Hal put it.

Great nothing from anyone… could we be getting jammed? No, it would've interfered with my chat with Clean-Suit… but… what if it just… I hear a feet impact on metal; I roll and bring my rifle up… to see four batarians armed with shotguns four feet away from me…

"Gotcha…" The only one without a helmet says with an evil grin… no malicious is a much better word for it. They couldn't have Hal or Sederis…

"Sir…"

"The two in the warehouse won the skirmish?" He asks not flinching. "Unfortunate," He pulls a device out and pushes a button… the next thing I know the warehouse becomes a ball of fire. "That was too much product." The batarian sighs, "fortunately we won't have to worry about you in the future… now who hired you?"

I glare with a tear in my eye, "I'll never tell you shit." You have no idea what it meant for me to swear. I was a choirboy… you know besides for the killing of dozens of mercenaries.

"You will," The leader stepped towards me, and the last thing I remember is his boot travelling towards my face…

Then I woke up in a pitch-black room except for a ring of light around me, a single silhouette pacing in front of me just outside of the light. I try to reach forward… nothing… I'm bound down to a chair… in a way that's reminiscent to electric chairs… just no metal bowl on my head.

"Good you're awake." He steps into the light… it's the batarian bastard.

"I'll kill you," I strain against my bonds… with no give. I let out a sound very similar to a growl.

He slugs me across the face, making my vision go fuzzy. "You will talk… because for all your bluster you are not willing to die yet." He hits a control on his omni-tool and another light kicks on… and clean-suit is sitting there visor cracked but otherwise unharmed.

"Let him go." I demand.

I get another punch for my troubles. "Quiet."

"Wi- Choir-Boy." We're using code names… so they don't know who to ask about. "We won't give you anything," He glares at the batarian…

"The quarian though… I think he'd be a tough nut to crack…" He laughs, "any wound might kill him if untreated… and they have that little sense of loyalty to their friends…" He smiles...

"If you touch him!" I catch something in his smile towards me… something that made my skin go cold.

"I'm not going to harm… him." He emphasizes the word 'him' and he laughs. I hear a low scraping sound as he pulls a knife from his belt… a serrated saw blade… My heart's been pounding continuously suddenly kicks up three times as much. "Quarian you'll have to speak.. your friend will be in too much pain."

I'm breathing more than when I sprint football fields… he reaches towards me…

"Stay away from him you four-eyed freak." Clean-Suit shouts.

He reaches down and holds my hand in place… He places the cold blade on the top of my pinky flesh… "No… no. no no no." I strain against the bonds again… he begins sawing… the pain… it was beyond anything you can imagine…. The blade wasn't the sharpest… I couldn't see, I couldn't hear… all I could do was feel my finger being separated from my body. All I could do was scream…

"Fairly unimportant…" He tosses something away… I'm in too much pain to guess or care. Things start going black, "No," he says with a laugh… he slaps me back to my senses. "I'm not quite done…" I see the blur of the batarian look over at Clean-Suite… "Whom do you work for?"

"No…" I mumble… I bring up the memory of Sederis's beautiful face… I'd fallen in love with her… that's why her face was the last thing I wanted to see in my minds eye… so I thought of her… and held it there. "No."

He moves over to my other side. "I'll give you some symmetry." And I passed out from the pain… but when I awoke… well you get it. "Ah awake again." He glares over at Clean-Suit… "Tell me who hired you!" He's getting aggravated.

"I can't let this continue…" Clean-Suit began…

"Rael don't!" I muster what I have left.

All of a sudden the room explodes… into white light, am I dead? No because my eyes start to recover… I see a helmeted figures head bobbing… I think they're shouting at me.

"He's alive," an old turian's voice, remarks… weakly I notice.

"Hal!" The helmeted figure responds… Sederis? I looked over and saw Hal… slumped against a pile of crates clutching his side…

"Guess… we got here in time…" He responds… wheezing.

"Hal!" I try to shout… but my voice is gone from screaming. Sederis holds her omni tool up to his side… the illumination shows blood… flowing from a large gap in his armor…

He stumbles forward, and pulls a knife from his belt. "Always… pulling your ass… out of the fire…" He cuts the restraints, "Not gonna be able to… do anything without me…." He falls forward onto me, I can feel the how cold he is.

"You're right," I answer, I… cry… there's no words deep enough to describe the loss of the man who saved me, taught me how to fight, and… treated me like family…

"I hope… we meet… again…" And he went limp… Just stopped living… Right there… in my arms. I can still see his face…

I reach out and stop him… "You don't have to continue…" I watch as tears stream down his face…

"Guess I got a little into old memories," He wipes his eyes and smiles weakly. "Hal's the one who taught me to live you see…" His shoulders are slumped and the lines on his face are clearer than ever. "He died that night… I didn't bother finding my pinkies… they seemed a small loss in comparison… I never got replacements… because I never want to forget." He puts a hand on my shoulder from across the table, "Protect your friends with everything you have… everything you have… because the pain… can change you more than you can possibly imagine."

"I will…" I catch the sadness still in his eyes… I see the sadness in himself… he hates that he couldn't do anything… he couldn't save his friend… All he could do was hold him in his arms… as the life… faded out of him… I start to break into tears… "Damn it now I'm crying too."

"Sometimes the best thing to do is cry… people who say otherwise are dumbasses…" He laughs, "Or macho-men, not much of a difference there though." He smiles.

"What happened with the three of you?"

"Will, Commander Shepard is requesting your presence in the CIC… and I assure you she is fully clothed." EDI kicks on over the intercom.

"Thanks EDI," I sniff back the bogies and wipe my eyes. "Duty calls." I hold out a hand on his shoulder now, "We'll talk more later."

"Protect them… with everything you have." I catch the whisper. I take one last glance, and he's trapped in his memories still, likely living out those last moments… I sigh and step away… I feel bad leaving him like that… I mean I'm the one who asked him to open that door…

I open the elevator door, and think back… he was probably about my age… on Omega? Living on Omega? Surviving as a mercenary? I need to push this out of my head to focus. Besides Shepard's been dropping hints about the next recruitment mission.

That means Tali. My head says Tali and my heart says Tali. So Tali… Tali… Oh, boy… I reach the CIC and spot Shepard immediately standing on the pedestal above the galaxy map. Read-outs hover around her, she cycles through them, and then… I notice a bit more than the situation…

Shepard is dressed in a little black dress… which… makes me get goober giggles… wow… there went any level of cool that might have existed within or near me… but it's true, and… I need to close my mouth because… my jaws pretty much on the ground. She turns and my heart jumps in my throat… and a thought occurs… I have never seen Shepard… womanly… she's always being this big tough soldier that smashes peoples heads in and 720 no-scopes and all that…

She's… beautiful… I can't even internal sensor it… oh, boy… I need a lot of help. Mostly psychological… partially hand-to-hand combat…

"Will." She turns towards me… and I clench my jaw moments before it falls again… I'm not good around women… really weak.

"Shepard." I respond and nod… smooth talker.

"Why aren't you dressed…" I look down, cerberus shirt, pants.

"Dressed for what?" I ask tentatively. I scratch the back of my head nervously. Phew… I pull my collar out… who turned up the heat?

"Our date."

Derrrrrrrrrrrr…

* * *

A/N: Well here's chapter 27 and some backstory for Guile... sad backstory... and then utter stupidity... I really can't hold a mood throughout a chapter can I?

Lechaliferax is pronounced Lek-Hal-If-Er-Axe that's where Hal comes from.

Review! And if you haven't already favorite I'm 7 away from 100!

On to Life!


	28. Chapter 28

**Ch. 28**

"**Eye Contact: A method utilized by a single woman to communicate to a man that she is interested in him. Despite being advised to do so, many women have difficulty looking a man directly in the eyes, not necessarily due to the shyness, but usually due to the fact that a woman's eyes are not located in her chest." **

**The Dictionary of Dating**

"Date?" I've recovered from the great big derrrrrr…

"Kasumi needs our help."

"Oh… oooohhhh," Der.

"Oh Will I was just looking for you." Kasumi walks in through the armory. "You have a suit to put on."

"Do I have to leave…" I whisper to Kasumi… Shepard's turned back to the Galaxy map.

I mean look at her… I'm still not over how good she looks in that dre… ow ow ow ow… "Quit pulling my ear."

"You're speaking out loud… very loud…" Kasumi informs me… I catch a glance from Shepard… and I swear her face is slightly… flushed? Can Shepard blush? I didn't think it was…

"Ow ow ow."

"Out loud again."

"I can't help it when I'm in a… heightened state of emotions my thoughts sometimes come out." I make a motion signifying my thoughts coming out of my mouth but it seems more like I'm telling a story about throwing up.

"I see…"

"Er… I think that came out wrong." I don't mean like that, when I'm happy or angry it happens but I think…

"Just get your head on straight soon."

"Don't worry when we're at the party I'll play the part perfectly… It's not my first time." I have worked with on Cerberus stuff before.

"You've robbed people before?" She seems genuinely surprised… well I'm not surprised that she's surprised… and it's not necessarily a favorite topic of mine to talk about… but my time in Cerberus wasn't all gunfights.

"Two times I infiltrated a party with my partner and stole data out of various... computer systems… three parties I infiltrated to get closer to a target." I shake the last thought out of my head… "There are a lot of very bad people in the galaxy." I verified every hit several times over to make certain I was helping the galaxy… god listen to me… I sound like TIM.

I'm not proud. I hate myself for being too weak to stand on my own and Cerberus for giving me the "easy" way out. Wow there's a revelation. I thought I just hated Cerberus who would've guessed it was part self-loathing… Kelly probably knew…

"She is perceptive…" Kasumi comments… I'd been absentmindedly getting changed in the male restroom how far in my head was I that I didn't notice coming down here and changing?

"So I just…"

"Your entire revelation."

I step out in the suit… "I'm waiting on the revelation for why I hate suits." I pull at the collar… I always feel so restrained and they really ride up in the…

I pause for a moment.

"So I didn't say that out loud?"

"I'm pretty sure I'm happy you didn't."

"Believe me you are." I glance… over at her and, nothing… at least I know I'm not a horn-dog, I feel absolutely nothing looking at Kasumi in that skin-tight…. Ow ow ow.

"I have a feeling I'm going to regret this." Kasumi mentions.

"Not as much as my ears…" Ok time to seem like a pro, "So what's my cover?"

"Professional." She's mocking me.

"I told you've I've done this before." I have this look of utter seriousness. Of course I was working with Helen at the time and she took care of most of the little things… like covers and coaching me on words to say… and telling everyone I was a dumb mute… which now occurs to me she was calling me stupid…

"I'll tell you both when we're on our way to the party." She's acting like it's going to be some amazing surpri… She's going to have us, as a couple isn't she…

"Anything?"

"Nope…" Good then I'm over it.

"So do I get to hit things?" I ask Kasumi as we enter the elevator.

"If things go well we won't have to fire a shot." She responds… and she has all the confidence of a master thief… because she is a master thief.

I tug at my collar again… I really hate suits. They make me think of TIM… and TIM's a jerk. "So all this'll happen in one day," I ask.

"Today to be precise," Kasumi responds. I get silence… what do you say before a briefing for a heist…

I scratch my head with my geth arm… er… "I just thought of something…"

"What?"

"What are we going to do about my geth arm?"

"Just say it's a personal choice in prosthetics." I see a look in her eyes… she wants to know the story behind my arm?

"Not now," I respond to her look. "That story puts me in a very bad mood." I fix my cuffs, pitch black, well Red and Black are my favorite colors… strange considering before all of this wearing those colors was actually a rarity… before all of this… when I say that when do I mean? Do I mean back in my "home" dimension… and why did I put home in quotes in my mind.

"Home." I mutter. I shake my head I'm getting distracted. While introspecting I'd just followed Kasumi and well here we are in the conference room. So's Shepard… in her little black dress...

"Kasumi I want details now." Shepard orders… her voice has less of a biting edge… you know that sort of drill Sergeant, 'Can you hear me maggot.' Sort of feel most of her orders have.

"All right Shep," a holographic image rises over the central console, "Donovan Hock." She puts a name to the face we're looking at.

"Arms dealer, smuggler, and art connoisseur." I add, "Bad dude."

"Very bad," I manage to see her eyes despite her hood… they're sad… very sad. "He has something I want… a graybox… my partner's graybox."

I know all too well what that means… well beyond my foreknowledge, I have a graybox in my head… It's useful for memories, and storage for files every now and then. I don't like thinking about how part of my brain is a robot… hell I don't like hearing much of the stuff those bastards did to me… I fall back into my mind way too easily still.

"So what's the plan?"

"You and Will are going to attend Hock's party as guests." She glances between us a small evil smile forming on her face… the smile you get when you know something someone else doesn't and you find it hilarious. "Or should I say Mr. and Mrs. Gunn…" Oh she's devious.

"I'm guessing routine IDs along with witnesses and fake magazine entries?" I respond automatically that's how it's gone in the past.

"Badass weekly."

"So we're playing mercenary?" I've played merc before… of course… that was lying to Shepard and the rest of the crew… that thought kind of brings me off my, Shepard pretty, high, I didn't like lying to her constantly…but I had to. It moves me more towards my, sweet I'm getting to play badass mercenary, high.

"How are we getting our weapons and armor in?" Shepard cuts in. She doesn't like my moments with other women; of course that's just my opinion…

"The guests of the party are all bringing gifts to Hock. Our tribute is a life sized rendition of your old friend Saren Arterius crafted in loving detail in solid gold."

Images accompany her words… wait what's that smell? It's… perfume? Shepard's wearing perfume? It smells pretty like a field of sunflower… There went my man card… I normally don't like high-society stuff… because of suits mostly, but Shepard is just…

Just… derrr… Is hot the word? Hot can't possibly cover it, but why do I feel like I'm forgetting something? OH yeah Tali!

"I thought you said the next one was a recruitment mission?" I ask Shepard.

"I said you could go on the next recruitment mission," damn you semantics. "And that you'd want to go on this mission…" Oh she's good…

"What are we waiting for?" I ask, this is too much I want to get into the mission…

"Our transportation," Shepard turns to Kasumi.

Kasumi only grins in response.

Our transport was a luxury shuttle… and I swear the seats were so comfortable I felt like I was on a cloud… and considering we were flying through the air of… forgot the name of this city, the illusion was pretty well put together. So in short I love this shuttle… and the best part… cherry red. It could only be better if it was black.

Did I mention I was in the back seat… that's right no ogling Shepard the whole way there… meanwhile Kasumi was again filling us in on the plan… so that's where my thought on clouds came from… seeing as I know my way around this plan pretty well.

So as I spotted the villa… is that Villa or Viya? I'm going with the L pronunciation. There's an armed welcoming party waiting for us to land.

"Solomon Gunn and Alice Gunn," Kasumi tells us, our covers I'm assuming… Solomon is a cool name.

"Yes." I respond. "I've been working out in the Terminus Systems, my group has recently returned from eliminating warlord Marduk on Garvug."

"You shouldn't tell too many lies…"

"It's a job I actually did," I turn to Kasumi, "I've played mercenary before… I have war stories." I lose focus… reliving the final moment eliminating Marduk… Marduk had been moving on clan Haliot on Garvug… in response Haliot had offered up a piece of Prothean tech for Marduk's head… Timmy wanted it so he sent me… very stressful job. And the piece of tech was a strange black stone… type object, roughly the size of those big Tarot cards.

It did something weird to me when I held it… I… had strange visions of war death and fighting when I touched it… I'm guessing that was just stress though…

"You collected on that?" Kasumi asks, "I'd heard about it and how nearly a hundred assassins and bounty hunters died trying to get that krogan."

"The story grows with the telling." Closer to twelve really and I barely had to get my hands dirty… but the squad I was with was wiped out early in the fighting… and I had to survive on my own… another example of how I kill those under my command.

"Will?"

I realize I'd had a tear in my eye… "Nothing…" I've done bad things… but it wasn't me… I'm pulling the Thane excuse now… heh… My body moved without it's soul… That's what I'll tell myself…

I can see it on her face she wants to say something but… she won't… because she knows now isn't the time and I won't respond.

We land smoothly and the shuttle opens. I step out first and help Shepard out of the shuttle. "Allow me."

"Thank you… honey." I blush momentarily at Shepard's words.

"You're welcome… dear." Slight red appears on her cheeks for a split second. We should've rehearsed. Neither of us'll be convincing… I mean I've played a part of a couple but… I've never had those sorts of feelings… towards the person playing my better half…

And I have to accept that as I can't let go of Shepard's hand and instead gently grasp it… I feel her tenderly grasp back… I'm…

"Identification." If this had been any other party… I'dve broken this guys face into the smallest of pieces possible… and then started on his two friends.

Instead, "Here you go." I say calmly… breaking my grasp on Shepard… I show him my ID… his omni-tool glows. I glance to my left and notice a small group checking out the statue of Saren. I don't know what to feel about Saren… In the end he sort of tried to redeem himself by suicide… but after all that he caused, I can't think of any reason why I shouldn't hate him. He nearly killed Shepard… he did kill Kaidan… but…

"Just one moment sir," a merc is fiddling with his omni-tool, "there seems to be an issue with the statue."

"I hope this won't be too much of a delay," I try to sound minorly annoyed.

"Is there a problem here?" Donnovan Hock himself comes down the stairs… though with his accent it sounds more like He-ah instead of Here.

"No Mr. Hock, just doing a scan." He turns to his work.

"I do not believe we have met, Donnovan Hock." He keeps his hands to himself…

"Solomon Gunn," I answer not even offering to shake, "and this is my wife…"

Shepard gently pulls me out of her way, "Alison Gunn." Shepard reaches her hand out looking to shake hands with him.

He doesn't even look at her outstretched hand, "I do not think our friends would come all the way from the Terminus systems to cause trouble" He glances over at the guard who was still flustered with our statue, "Do you?" It dripped of a rhetorical question.

"No sir." And he answered it, I can catch a slight look of irritation flash across Hocks face.

"I apologize but your friend will have to remain out here," Hock gestures to Kasumi… whom I hadn't realized had gotten out of the shuttle. I notice him give her the once over…

"Regrettable," I say calling attention away from her, "but acceptable."

"Enjoy the party." Hock turns and heads back up the large marble-esque staircase toward his lavish villa.

"I'll enjoy it," I whisper to myself, "you probably won't."

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**A/N: I will be updating weekly throughout the month of december.**


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: As promised chapter 29 enjoy.

* * *

**Ch. 29**

"**I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it" **

**Mae West Quotes**

After we'd entered the party I'd fallen off to the sides, moving through groups of people, catching bits of conversation.

"All it took was a swift application of force." A woman in a red dress says to me as if I would be impressed.

"Impressive…" I clench my teeth through a smile. I hate these underworld types. On any other day I would break them all in two… unfortunately I'm on the job right now. I'd never risk a job… especially since it's Kasumi's mission.

"What did you say the name of your company was?" She asks, "I've been looking for a group to handle a problem of mine."

"Suicide Squad," I blurt suddenly. "We're a small company that focuses on high risk missions." I sigh formulating it a bit more in my mind. "We've fought in several conflicts, usually aiming to end wars before they even start, we actually prevented a small insurrection on Garvug by eliminating Warlord Marduk."

"Who?"

Wow, there went my ego. I have one job I thought was a big deal that I might have been able to take a bit of pride in… but noooo.

"We're currently on an assignment so I'm afraid we wouldn't be open to hiring." I try and cover… lies pile on lies till you get caught. I check my omni-tool and pretend to check a message. "I apologize but my… wife needs me." I smile a fake, fake smile.

It drops the moment I'm away from her and the group; I hate those smiles, false smiles that only serve to take people off guard. I wear them though; I hate myself a bit I think…

There she is, and a genuine smile comes to my face for a moment. "Allison." She doesn't turn, but I stop speaking… the setting sun has framed her so beautifully, her hair contrasting the bright orange of the sky and I'm probably looking through rose tinted glasses… but if I am or not… She's beautiful… and I can feel that in my heart.

I walk and lean on the railing next to her. "It's beautiful isn't it?" She asks.

"Yeah…" She puts her hand on the railing… barely a distance from me. I could reach out and… I acted while thinking… my hand is on hers, and she turns to me… and I don't know what to say at that moment. Both of us framed in the sunset, staring into each other's eyes… My hearts pounding so hard I wouldn't be surprised if I broke a rib.

"Do you remember when we first met?" She doesn't break her gaze.

"On Eden Prime?" I half ask, "of course I remember…"

"Why were you really there?" She asks suddenly…

"To find you." I answer truthfully… at least that was the real reason I was there.

"Wi… Solomon, you aren't hiding anything from me still are you?" She's very suspiscious for some reason today.

"Of course I am," I answer, "everyone has something they want to hide, things they have no control over that they want to forget." My actions as a Cerberus agent, my family in another dimension. I let out a sigh, I hate thinking about my family… it gets me thinking on how I'll never see them again… "There are things I'd rather forget, those are the things I'm not telling you."

She pulls in closer to me, to the point where we're inches apart from each other. Then… she hugs me, and I'm frozen for an instant before I hug her back. I've almost accepted that I'll never see my family again, I've accepted that I'll be stuck here forever… but I know how much of a disappointment I've been… and if they knew what I'd done… become a mercenary, assassinate people, and all those other horrible things… they would've taken away my video games for life…

Shepard pulls me from that thought, back to the moment... Us alone on the balcony a sunset in the background, her hands clasped in mine. We're staring into each others eyes... and, I freeze, my heart is hammering in my chest as she pulls me closer, and closer and... She whispers in my ear, "Kasumi needs us now."

Der… I… huh? She… Was it just me who thought that was a romantic moment? I mean… come on sunset, hands, quiet breathy speaking… Oh I'm gonna get her back for this that's for sure. My mind for a moment holds the fleeting thought of what almost happened.

We met back at the vault Kasumi was uncloaked her omni tool was glowing a confident grin on her face. Shepard stood off to the side, smiling… like she'd pulled the best joke in history on me. My face doesn't show any emotion, I'm in business mode again.

"Looks like it'll be more than a combination," I remark truly looking at the vault… I wasn't a cracker, I was the muscle in an operation most of the time… the visible muscle at least.

"Not by much, we need a password that Hock needs to speak and we have to have a sample of his DNA." She looks between us.

"A hair or some skin cells would do right?" I ask.

"Then we'll get it from his room," Shepard suggests.

"That works, the password should be in a security station."

"As for the voice prints just get him talking and I should be able to work with it." Looks like we've got a plan…

"We should get the skin samples first, then get the voice print and finally the password." A good order of events in my opinion.

"We could split up and get the skin sample and speech then get the password from the security station together." Shepard counters, why do I feel like she's suggesting this just because I came up with the other plan, we both stare at Kasumi. She's suddenly the center of attention.

"Let's go with Shepard." Traitor.

"Right I'll talk to Hock you get the DNA sample," I suggest.

"You think you can get a man to talk more than I can?" She puts her hands on her hips… she's surprisingly animated.

"Who are we?" I ask suddenly, she starts to answer, "when did we meet?" I continue, "what issue of badass weekly were we on?" She doesn't answer. "Solomon and Allison gunn I took your name due to my separation from my family, we met on Omega two years ago, we were hunting the same target and arrived at there at the same time, and we were on the July issue, cover thanks to our marriage getting hit by our rival group we had to fight while saying our vows." "I've thought this through, you don't respond to your name." I might be a little cross at what she did earlier and that may be affecting my judgment.

"You've thought it through," Shepard responds.

"It's a variation on other thoughts I've had," I turn away, "and I read the files Kasumi gave us on our covers." I head back up the tunnel.

"Sir," A guard approaches me. "What were you doing down there?"

"I'm sorry I got a bit turned around."

"Sir?" He doesn't believe me.

"My wife and I had a fight, I stormed off without thinking and ended up down there," I admit with a tinge of regret in my voice. "She feels we don't communicate enough and…"

"I understand," the guy breaks a stony face for a second, "my wife's the same, but being married to a merc isn't what she expected." I take a mental image of his face, flat top blond brown eyes, I won't shoot you if things get bad.

I put a hand on his shoulder, "you've helped alleviate the bad taste my fight has left in my mouth, take this." I pass him roughly 20,000 credits, Cerberus's dime, "buy your wife something nice." I add a wink.

He nods gently and steps back. I spot Hock center of attention where he likes it. I step into the crowd… how to make him talk a lot…

"We've been preparing for a long time for what's to come." Hm?

"What's to come?" I ask calling attention to myself.

Hock glances over at me, "I may as well get to the core of the reason for this gathering." The crowd thickens. "All of us have been affected by this group, raiding our businesses crippling our operations, a shadow that's existed over the underworld since before humanity joined the galactic community, he's affected our bottom line and forced us to use far crueler tactics than necessary when making our deals, and some of us have lost trusted lieutenants who were like family." He catchs the groups eyes, "for all his interference he hides himself, his face even what his species is, this man has poked his nose into our business far too much, and yet all we've been able to gather on him before is a name."

"The Owner." Oh man.

"That was until recently, his operations are becoming more and more open as the days pass and this is our chance to return the favor, to hit his territory disrupt his operations kill his men!"

The crowd around me began clapping at the end of his little speech… it makes me wonder if I should really rob this man… I mean sounds like he'd be willing to work together against a mutual enemy.

"Kasumi? Do you have enough?" I mumble to myself.

"Yes, and we've got the DNA…" I hear an alarm going off behind her followed by an "oops."

I spin and spot the door guard speaks into his com, moments later he's joined by a pair of other guards… one is the guy from earlier… crap. I slip through the back of the crowd and walk after them slipping through as the door closes… they hear me and look back. I step in the middle of the three of them landing a solid right on the center one, accepting counters from the other two, in exchange I grab the blonde guard and slam him into his still standing compatriot taking them both to the ground, and I close the distance and kick each of them in the head knocking them both out.

Shepard comes up the stairs on her own noticing my handy work. "Not bad," she walks up to licks and me her finger and rubs the blood away from the side of my mouth didn't realize I was bleeding must've been one of the two hits I took. "Duck next time."

You confuse me I can't help but think. Either that or I took that hit a bit too hard to my head.

"Next is the password itself."

"Just a couple of armed guards between us and it." I grin to Shepard.

"Let's move." We enter back through the doors and no one moves to intercept us… we need to move fast to get through this before they wake up. We move through the party with a purpose, arm in arm, to at least give some guise of being partygoers. We power through into the security office, and the moment the door opens our pistols are in hand. Bang, bang and no more security.

"Cake." Shepard says. We throw the office upside down. "When did you get like that?" Shepard asks while rifling through the desk.

I'm glaring into the computer, "Like what?"

"You didn't hesitate an instant when we walked in." She sounds… sad? "Before you said you wouldn't…"

"I grew up, and recently I've learned that my stupid little code of honor has no meaning, and could cause my friends to die." I lose focus and curse myself silently.

"A lot has changed in two years…"

"I feel like we've had this conversation," I respond not glancing over my shoulder.

"Bits and pieces." She sighs. "I can't find it."

"Check the datapad on the desk behind you," I respond. I glance through another file… not what I'm looking for. I should've flipped Hocke's room.

"It's here," Shepard responds, "PERUGGIA."

"Is that a planet?" I ask, not moving from the computer.

"Don't know, doesn't matter we've got what we came for…" She pauses and notices my lack of movement, "or I've gotten what I came for…"

"Hock is going after the Owner," I keep focus on the screen, "I'm trying to see if there are any files here..." I sigh I haven't found anything. I search PERUGGIA… and a single file, I grab it we've gotta move anyway before someone comes back.

"Let's go." I shut down the terminal and stand up.

"Yes ma'am," I smile gently. Inside I'm shouting… I couldn't find anything.

We exit silently and walk through the crowds, Hock is giving another speech but I see him glance over at us… He knows… duh he knows how the hell did I forget that he's known all along we came with Kasumi, he wants us to get into the vault so he can get her to crack Keiji's grabox for him. I smack myself in my head hard enough to know me slightly off balance.

"Shepard, be ready, this is going to go bad soon." I clench my fists. We make it to the vault without problems. All was calm, quiet normal… then Shepard started taking off her dress. "oh woah woah woah," I cover my eyes and back away as if she'd suddenly become as bright as the sun.

"What?"

"You, no clothes," I stutter out.

"We need to get in our armor remember?" Oh yeah.

"Wait then how come you nearly killed me when I saw you come out of the shower and the time in the armory?"

"Because you surprised me both times, and I only threw a grenade launcher at you in the armory." I can't see her as I'm covering my eyes with my hand, I hear her grunt and I get slammed in the chest. "Don't forget you brought that."

The grenade launcher… "Toss me my armor," I say through my hand which is still covering my eyes… "just the pants for now." And I turned away, I pull off my jacket, unbuttoned my shirt and for a few moments entertained peeking, but… I didn't. I put on the black undersuit for my armor (which always reminded me of a pitch-black wetsuit), I clasped my one arm-plate (since my geth arm didn't need protecting), threw on my boots, and chest plate. All that was left was my cloak and mask… don't know why the mask is here… I only carry it for when I'm going EVA it connects with the under suit essentially making it vacuum proof, I throw the cloak on and put the mask on, it's already here and with the amount of guns I carry I don't have room anywhere else.

I'm ready, I turn to look at Shepard… and I stop, now I said she's beautiful in a dress… and I may have played down how she looked in armor… but she's in armor that's beautiful on it's own… it adds to how beautiful she is… because…

Shepard's wearing Blood Dragon Armor now.

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A/N: Oh you know stuff's gonna get real when Blood Dragon Armor gets involved.


	30. Chapter 30

**Ch. 30**

**It's no crime to steal from a thief**

**Proverb Quotes**

So Shep's in Blood Dragon armor… and I'm… awed. The armor itself is a piece of art… and my favorite set in ME2, and Shepard's wearing it. Though she's neglected for the moment to put the helmet into place possibly so we can keep talking face to face?

"Why?" I ask very suddenly as we step into the elevator, and begin our descent to the vault room.

"Why what?" Shepard asks.

"Why the change in armor?"

"It's better than my old set," that makes sense… I suppose.

"Why don't you change yours?"

I turn away… why don't I? It's the best suit of armor I own… I've been wearing it on missions since I've escaped the Owner… and I'm a bit of a creature of habit… and a pack rat. I won't get rid of this armor till it wears away… or is taken away.

"I'm used to it, like when you wear in sneakers or jeans… it's comfortable."

"It's the symbol of the person you say you hate." She's crossed her arms.

I stop again, "It's good armor, and while I wear it I remember." We stop talking until the doors open… we've arrived… and the first thing I see is the Statue of Liberty's head.

"To see it up close," I mumble and step out of the elevator. Seeing it in person is so much more than seeing, than seeing it in a game. I have the intense urge to fall to my knees and shout, 'You bastards you blew it up!' I am fighting that urge, and I can feel myself losing to it. Apart from the head of Lady Liberty there are of course other, 'works of art,' the only other one that interests me is the Ogre statue. Looks like there's one in this dimension but I shouldn't really be all that surprised.

"Found it," Kasumi remarks grabbing my attention. Shepard and I gather around her.

"That's a gray box?" I have a Graybox so seeing one outside someone's skull… it's a weird experience for me…

"Keiji…" Kasumi looks at it, and I can feel the loss.

I… can only put a hand on her shoulder. "He's still in your heart."

"And in here," she pets the graybox gently.

"Here's the part when the mission goes south." I whisper removing my hand from her shoulder.

On cue the holographic representation of Hock's head appears. Still not as big as his head in real life… what an ego. Then again in his position I would do it as well… also I would have vents leaking paralyzing agents into the vault, no guns, they could damage the relics. Then again I might not buy a vault full of illegal items I'm not allowed to show off.

"Don't bother Ms. Goto its code locked." The Hocke head explains… "I thought that was you at the door, and I knew that if it really was you you'd get in anyway."

She starts to open her mouth, but before words can escape the room shakes, and we're all thrown off our feet. That's not what supposed to happen… What happens next is supposed to be an ambush by Eclipse! Not an earthquake! Then the wall explodes inwards Shepard is thrown into me both of us fly over the table Kasumi just got the graybox off of. We land with my cloak draped over us.

The power's dead.

I stay down with Shepard… Covered in my cloak. Hopefully my ears stop ringing sometime soon. The first thing I can hear is the fizzle of my cloak kicking on, the next sound is footsteps… a lot of footsteps.

We freeze; Shepard is inside my cloak and shares my invisibility… that's lucky. As for the tumble leaving her lying on top of me… I'm not sure what I think about that… on the one hand… heh… heh.. heh… on the other her armor is compressing my ribcage.

My motion tracker shows 7 within 10 meters. Shepard starts to shift to get at her guns. "Don't move." I say under my breath. She stops. Twice as many enter my motion trackers range, then more until there are nearly 30 of them.

"Sir room is secure," a distinctly salarian voice says. Salarians?

"Good begin clearing the rest of the complex; split into squads of four and move out." That's a krogan… krogan and salarian on the same side? "We'll use this room as a command and control."

"Great," I whisper under my breath. I was hoping they'd just pass on and we'd be able to slip out but now they're going to be staying in here.

"Sir sonics picked up a voice," the salarian voice reports… how could they hear me?

"Come out in the open!" The krogan's deep voice bellows. "If we have to search for you it will end very badly for you, just make yourself known and surrender."

I want to say something to the affect of damn it… but apparently that would lead them to me faster.

"Sir orders?" The salarian asks.

"You have your assignments, I'll remain and handle this." The krogan's voice orders.

"Understood!" The salarian responds, "You heard the boss to your assignments." "Sir I want to remain."

"Azik, clear out," The krogan growls.

"Sir." I watch on my motion tracker as the dots representing the soldiers clear out. So now all we've got to deal with is one krogan…

"Will Doe come out," The krogan shouts, "I know it's you." "And I have a message for you." His voice reverberates throughout the room.

My cloak fizzles out at that point, Shepard and I rise to our feet… after some difficulty we were a bit tangled up in my cloak… but it's taught me something I hadn't thought of before, I can hide someone in my cloak when I use my… cloak… hrm… maybe I should call my physical cloak a cape, and my tech cloak a… cloak… help to differentiate… I pull my cola-cape forward to obscure my hands as I put them on the grips for my pistols.

I get an elbow to the ribs when I realize whilst in my musings the krogan had said more to me, possibly an introduction. "Sorry I was…"

"Off in your own little world?" The krogan asks with a laugh. A slight mist seems to come over his eyes for a split second. "I am Gardug Van, one of the Owner's lieutenants." He bows, I'm more nervous than I was moments before due to the fact that I'm seeing a krogan who's bigger than grunt, bigger than Wrex and he has a huge hammer strapped to his back.

I start to pull my pistols.

"No worries, I'm here for Hock not you." He holds his hands out nonthreateningly, "You're not my problem."

"The message?" I ask slowly holstering my pistols.

"It's from a mutual friend who wishes to remain anonymous," he explains. "It's simple, 'Omnes'," He stops on the word.

… "What the hell does that even mean!?" I growl out loud.

"No fun if it isn't cryptic," he laughs, "It's a hint, and if I don't get to work I might start blabbing about things I shouldn't." He walks away laughing at the top of his lungs.

"Wait after all the crap I've been through at the hands of your group how can that be all you have to say to me!"

He actually stops for a moment and turns back to me laughter stopped, "We'll meet again soon, and at that point I'll answer your questions, for now though I have a job to do." He runs off after the direction his men went.

"He's a strange one," Kasumi remarks.

"He works for the man who did this to me," I respond staring at my geth arm. What does he have to gain from helping me? Is it all a ploy to make me drop my guard? Is it another trap and I'll simply be recaptured?

"I don't know what to think at the moment Shepard…" I remark, still within my own thoughts. Omnes… I make a note of it and move over to Shepard. "We should go."

"Right," She responds, she checks her omni tool. "The wall over here is shallow."

I turn on my omni tool, a floor plan of the building appears… different in structure from the game, we appear to avoid the armory but we'll end up passing through the barracks. "I've got a course plotted how should we deal with the wall?"

She pats my back… the grenade launcher? Ah, "We'll jury rig some of the ammo to make charges to blast through it."

"That's right." She pulls the launcher off my back and pulls off the drum. She takes out the shells; "I used this to make mines in the Blitz… so the idea should be similar."

"You made mines out of grenades? You're more tech-savvy than I thought Shepard," I grin at her with the comment.

"An old friend taught me how to do it…" she stops for a moment and exhales gently. It makes me guess the old friend is no longer with us.

"What happened during the Blitz?" I mean everyone's seen the vids and heard the stories but… Even I haven't ever asked for details.

"I know what they say that I did it all alone," she smiles gently, "but I had friends with me… Ace and Ed." Her smile almost sours but she doesn't seem to be able to decide whether it was a good memory or not. "We rallied the colonists and when they broke from the charge Ace and Ed covered their retreat… while I held the front alone." She grips her hands, "The vids make it out as a heroic stand but in reality I was fighting for my life, every moment I thought my life would end… every second I saw my life before my own eyes… and by the time the smoke had cleared Alliance forces arrived… and I obviously lived, I received a medal and an invitation to N7 as a result." She stares at me, "Cover."

We jog back a bit from the wall and then, "Fire in the hole!" The wall blasts away leaving only a large gaping hole.

"And?" I ask her, the Eclipse marcs guarding this place have a lot bigger problems than us.

"That moment defined my life… and the lives of my friends." We start our march into the gap in the wall. "I told you what happened to Ace… Ed on the other hand… he became known as the butcher of Torfan." She glances off into the distance. "Let's go, we'll talk more later."

"Right…" So wait… I guess it kind of makes sense someone had to survive Akuze and someone had to wipe out the slavers on Torfan. Still this is interesting. We charge through in silence only the occasional warning of enemies' breaks it… Kasumi's been awfully quiet…

"Kasumi you still alive?" I ask turning to her.

"Didn't want to intrude on your little chat," she remarks grinning at me… she's letting Shepard and I talk without interruptions because she's treating this as if it were a real date. I don't think it is… then again my romance experience is securely placed in the watching of romantic comedies…

We enter the barracks and bunks built into the walls rise up around us and its… empty, obviously they're dealing with the Owner's forces… the forces I should be fighting, but… the thought of that krogan is throwing me off… he's not what I expected from someone from the Owner's organization… then again I shouldn't expect everyone I don't like to be mustache twirling villains… especially when krogan don't have facial hair.

"Looks like they've cleared out." I remark to Shepard.

"Likely to deal with the Owner's forces." She responds rifle still up and ready to take down hostiles should they poke their heads up. "We should be clear for the rest of the way."

The building shakes as another explosion sounds in the distance. Flakes of rock and dirt fall from the ceiling. "Mostly because they're currently occupied with the Owner's forces." I remark, the krogan Gardug Van… I'll remember that name… and Omnes… whatever that means.

"C'mon we should move quickly," Shepard jogs ahead as we pass down the hall; I call up my map on my omni-tool to be certain of the direction we're heading.

"Another left then a right," I call up to her, "then it should be a straight shot to a vehicle pad."

"Should?"

"With how the building's been shaking, rattling and rolling, who knows if the halls are still up," I shrug while running. I'm only using the one pistol currently. I have to keep double-checking my Omni-tool's map. I do not want to make a mistake navigating us through this building.

"It's nice," Shepard remarks.

"Nice?" I ask incredulously.

"No big fights, just a casual stroll." A rock the size of softball falls from the ceiling, and barely misses Shepard's head.

"Real casual," Kasumi remarks.

"Right here," I remark and we run down the hall. We open the door and the light of day nearly blinds us.

We reach the lift-off pad, and it's in chaos. The black armor of the Owner's forces and the Yellow of eclipse are doing their best to kill each other. The Owner's forces have the upper hand… or did and the moment that thought crossed my mind a gunship rises up to back the Eclipse.

"Who do we shoot?" Shepard asks.

"First time I've ever heard you ask that question," I laugh and we run for cover. "Eclipse for now," I shout to her. Immediately she fires off in their direction. I take potshots at the gunship. It returns the favor. I'm pinned and I can hear Eclipse closing on me. Nowhere to go and if I so much as put a pinky up I'll be murdered by that gunship and if I don't remain a target then Shepard or… where'd Kasumi go? Time to find some back up.

I key in to Van's Omni-tool, "Truce for now," I suggest, "I'll hate you guys later."

"Hah," I don't hear it over the comm; I hear his laugh from where I'm in cover. "Deal," he says over the comm. "Covering fire let's give them some backup." Immediately they rise and open fire clearing out the guys rushing for me. I pull my grenade launcher. They turn on the ship which reprioritizes targets… those shields are making it hard to even hurt that thing… they have to duck as more of the Eclipse are dropped off by ships.

"We've got to eliminate, that gunship!" Van shouts to me. I glance at the pipes, where Kasumi should be rushing the gunship and I realize… he's outside of her reach jumping wise.

"Drive the gunship to the pipes," I shout.

"You heard him focus fire and let's pull the bastard in close," His voice comes through the comm but I notice it doesn't echo throughout the battlefield like much of his words.

They begin to fall back while shooting diving through cover forcing the ship in closer. I lift the grenade launcher and begin blasting away at it the curve of grenades hits them on the sides and the explosion on the side forcing it in even closer… and then I saw her. Kasumi was balanced on the highest pipe and had a straight shot to the gunship.

She charges across the pipes as the gunship fires and jumps on it. I've got to learn how to do that… then again… I really don't want to now that I think of how high that is.

"Get ready!" I shout into the comm.

I see the orange glow of Kasumi's Omni-tool and she punches the ship, the blue shields covering the gunship fade away, and I can imagine Kasumi's smile as she backflips off of it.

"Fire!" I shout in unison with Van as he orders the same, Shepard and I alongside the Owners forces barrage the gunship. Grenades bullets and what appear to be long burning spikes impact the gunship. I can only imagine the pilots face as the barrage. I don't want to imagine his screams. The ship falls off the edge of the landing pad and explodes seconds later. The remaining Eclipse… wait what happened to the Eclipse? I glance over and Shepard seems to have cleared them all out while we were dealing with the gunship. We duck back in cover; I ready my pistols and contact Van again. "Well?"

"You should go," Van, responds, "our alliance was only for that firefight."

"Guile we need a pickup," Shepard says into her comm. Moments later the shuttle pulls in.

Van's group fall back inside the building… possibly to leave through the entrance they created in the wall. "Nice working with you." His voice crackles to life through my Omni-tool.

"Likewise…" I say to myself, unwilling to say it to one of the Owners henchmen.

The shuttle arrives in short order or at least it seems to I'm a bit distracted with the fact that the Owner's henchmen aren't all double crossing bastards… It doesn't sit well with me… I've always considered anyone against me as an inhuman bastard… that word… inhuman. I've never thought much of it… but now that I've been hanging around Cerberus more… there might be more to it. Why is something that's inhuman… bad? It's a word that doesn't belong in this universe… just like me… I can't even really think that thought, I glance at Shepard and I know well that I belong, as long as I'm on the Normandy.

Before I realize it I'm in the air, I guess I've been a bit distracted. "Take evasive maneuvers!" Van's voice shouts through my Omni-tool.

"Huh!?" The ship shakes from side to side.

"We're under fire!" Guile shouts back to us. "Gunships on our tail."

"We need to land immediately!" Shepard shouts.

"Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking we are currently being fired at by disagreeable people, men hold on to your underwear or lose it… women feel free not to." The room shifts suddenly and I'm falling face first towards a wall.

"They've damaged inertial dampeners it's going to get uncomfortable…" Guile shouts. "I repeat hold onto something!" We roll and I can feel it. Shepard has buckled herself in alongside Kasumi…

"Joker we're taking fire!" Shepard shouts into her comm.

"I see that!" Joker responds through Shepard's comm. "We're coming."

"They're seeing straight through our stealth systems." He responds… "It's annoying." I feel my heart climb into my chest as we descend suddenly. I wish I knew what was going on outside but… no windows. I walk to the cockpit only my modded muscles and mag boots keeping me from smashing myself all over the walls with the movements of the shuttle. I reach the cockpit and see Guile's hands flying over the controls, and landscape flying by at breakneck speeds.

"Stupid thing maneuver's like a brick." I hear him mumble. "Will what the hell are you doing, sit your ass down." I march forward and take the copilot's seat.

"Who's on us?" I ask I bring up the controls. I hate flying.

"The Organization." He responds and we jet suddenly to the right and climb. "Joker I could use some backup here!"

"I'm on you," suddenly we're engulfed in the hangar bay… the Normandy had dropped in behind us and brought us in that way. The sudden deceleration is felt, imagine the sudden deceleration of an airplane… and double it.

"Well," Guile says with a huge smile, "that got my blood pumping." He then breaks into contagious laughter and I follow suit. Just for the euphoria of surviving the moment.

* * *

**A/N: Thank Flurry of Strife for getting on my case to finish this chapter... I've been a bit less busy recently and she reminded me.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Ch. 31**

**Hatred is self-punishment. Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated.**

**Hosea Ballou**

Omnes… my only clue to figure out the identity of the Owner, or not, he could have just been messing with my head… I mean they did torture me for months, who's to say that they're not just messing with me feeding me false clues just to divert my focus… but what if it's not?

I'm hanging out in the life support area on deck 3, where Thane would be if he were on board. I chose here because despite being near a high traffic area I've never seen anyone come in here, plus a cool view of the core. I spin in my chair to glance at aforementioned core. The slow pulsing blue orb, framed by the window it's like art.

Then again considering the fact that it'll disintegrate someone if the ship isn't properly upgraded maybe its not as pretty as I originally thought it was.

I'm not sure what I'm doing. I could say I'm contemplating the riddle of Omnes, but that wouldn't really be true. I'm more searching for a reason for everything. Not "everything" as in the universe because I'm sure it'd take a bit more than an evenings musing to figure that out, but everything as in what's been happening to me.

I can only come back to the question… why me? I don't mean that in a whiney way thought I know it sounds like that. I mean it literally, why would the Owner choose me at all? I wasn't athletic, I knew how to shoot sure but I've never been in a combat situation in my life, well my life before becoming what I am now. Why would he pick the random kid he found floating in space and why was I floating in space? Did he believe in destiny? Was he wondering, hm whom should I send on possibly the most important mission in history? And then see my pod floating by the window and how did I get in a pod? How? It's a question I like to gloss over but they claimed to have picked me up in a space pod that was low on oxygen… what if I'm just crazy? What if the lack of oxygen made all of this up in my head? What if this is all a dream and I still haven't woken up?

I can't think about that, back to why the Owner would send me to save the galaxy…

Then again I was only supposed to watch and report… but still why the, 'oh I just met you and this may seem crazy but do a mission maybe?' It just doesn't make sense to me, and what about Omnes?

What if Omnes is the answer to everything? But what if it's the answer to nothing? Whether not its true would depend on how much I could possibly trust that krogan… Van was his name with Gardug as a clan name, never heard of clan Gardug. Though that's not much of a surprise.

Gardug and Omnes, names that currently mean nothing, but…

Ah, screw it I'm tired of thinking where's Grunt, I need to hit something.

I head for the elevator fully planning on going to Engineering finding Grunt and entering a sparring match with him, and as I'm about to touch the button a whispered voice catches on the edge of my hearing. "… How can you stand him…"?

Normally I wouldn't listen to conversations that have nothing to do with me but whenever someone's hated it's usually me so I'm actually in the right to listen to what they're saying. Right?

"He defended himself," Guile?

"How can you defend him!?" Michael? The guy from poker? "She was like a daughter to you!"

"She was, but she betrayed our trust," Guile responds, "She jeopardized the mission and moved against a crewmate." I'm listening through the door.

"But…"

"I want you to spread the word to the crew, you forgive him, this hatred ends now," Guile demands, "I didn't speak against you because I thought you would grieve then accept it, but I see you were too blind." "End it."

"No," Michael responded, "next time I see him I'll kill him." Then the door I had my ear pressed against opened and I fell into the bunk room which was empty except for Guile who was standing with his arms crossed, a shocked look on his face, and Michael who unfortunately was in the way of my body as it falls and I tackle him to the ground.

"This is awkward," I try to joke.

He swings at me from his prone position, and I take a hit in the face. I leap to my feet. His punch doesn't hurt, at least not compared to what I'm used to. He rises to his feet.

"I'm guessing you wouldn't just want to talk this out," I shrug.

"Even now," a snarl comes across his face. He runs forward and swings another punch. I don't bother dodging I just return a punch straight to the center of his chest… gently. I feel the cut on my lip from his hit, but he's been sent flying backwards huffing.

"Trading punches isn't what I was teaching you," Guile remarks. Guile grabs Michael as he rises back and twists his arm around his back and plants his boot on Michael's back. He wrenches back and I can hear the pop, as Michael's shoulder is dislocated, and the scream as Michael falls down from the sudden pain.

I freeze, Michael's an ass and likely deserved it but the detached way Guile did it, his eyes didn't seem to care that he was hurting someone who was possibly his friend. He did it without warning, or reason.

"Assault on another member of the crew is not something I approve of," He explains offhandedly. Then the door whooshed open and Garrus and Miranda burst in.

"What the hell's going on in here?" Garrus exclaims seeing guile boot still planted on Michael's back, Michael still hunched over grasping at his shoulder.

"Michael tripped and snagged his arm between the rungs on the bed," Guile explains, "I was about to pop it back in for him." The words are so convincing.

"And his face?" Miranda asks.

"Young William here attempted to help but they ended up bashing heads… and as Will's head's a lot harder than Mike's you get this." He gestures to both of us… and we aren't arguing. I don't want Michael or Guile to get into trouble… not to mention me… all I need is a lecture from Miranda or Shepard to put me in a bad mood.

Garrus looks between the three of us not entirely convinced, Miranda downright doesn't believe a word of it. I can tell from her face, it's subtle, but neither of them pushes the issue. "Take him to med bay," she orders us. She leaves the moment the words finish leaving her mouth.

I reach to help but he shrugs away and unsteadily gets to his feet. I don't like being hated; I don't like seeing the look in his eyes like he'd sleep like a baby after cutting my head off… It bothers me, cause I'm going to have to find a secure place to sleep in case crazy face tries to stab me in my sleep. Maybe I'll start bunking with Grunt, then again… where does Grunt sleep? Does he just lie back in the tank we let him out of? Cause I haven't seen him at the sleeping area and it's not like there's a hammock down there.

I step back out into the hall, and I duck into the elevator just as it is closing. I need a nap, a break, something to take away… take away my thoughts of the day. The question is where would I feel comfortable… I'm bunking with Grunt, any knife wielding maniac charging in there will have to get past the psychotic biotic, then the amped up krogan, not to mention Zaeed's on that level as well. Yeah engineering is the safest place on the whole ship… if you were a monster.

And thinking about the hate in Michael's eyes, the sidelong glances I sometimes get from the crew… I'm not so certain I'm not a monster.

I step out into engineering with these thoughts floating around, but I force them back and try to think about other things… like meeting Tali… and whom I like more… who I would rather be with. I sound like a bit of a jerk when I say it like that. I mean I don't know if I can even make that choice, I mean, how selfish am I to assume that both of these amazing women are just waiting on me to say, 'I pick you,' like some weird ass game of Pokémon. Ok even I thought that sentence was really dumb.

I love them, both of them, I won't say that to either of them, but… I do, an I need to speak to Tali before I can start moving forward, because I remember our parting, and feeling like we were… more than friends, at least in my heart. That sounded so corny, I mean really corny. I mean it though, I felt very close to her and at peace and I always felt like smiling…

I sit in Grunts room after we share a nod, friends I guess, or warriors in arms. Not literally though it would be amusing to see a krogan walking arm in arm with a human. I sit there and will myself to sleep and slowly, I feel it overtake me…

_An explosion as I fly through the air, I'm holding onto two people. We crash into a room filled with pain. One shouts while holding his rifle up. I stare blankly and the muzzle flash is the last thing I see._

Well that was weird, well actually considering my line of work someone shooting at me after an explosion is fairly normal, I should be more concerned if I don't get shot at on the job usually means they want to take me alive. Last time that happened I was trapped in a lab and experimented on.

That's neither here nor there and I have a gut feeling that we are getting close to the mission I care about, to recovering Tali, and… the loss of her team to the Geth. I keep so many secrets from them. So many, that I just know one day will come back to haunt me and I'll be hated. The loss of Tail's team is, and I hate saying it in my head more than anything, necessary for her to join Shepard, with the loss of her team she gets fed up enough to take a short leave from the flotilla to help us out. If she kept her team her strong sense of obligation would likely prevent her from coming with us.

That's my theory, and it's too late regardless.

I punch myself in the face hard, hard enough to knock myself for a bit of a loop. I feel the ground shift. Who am I?

How am I able to calculate such a thing and not care… or at the very least accept it? Who have I become? I'm just accepting these as facts, as acceptable sacrifices, because of the cold calculus… when did that happen to me? I know I've been continuing with the thought, it's so things stay on the same path I decided that when I got here… but… It's different, before I only said to myself 'stay the course' but till now I've only had the one time for that, and that was when… Kaidan died. I didn't say anything because I was afraid to change things.

Because I was more comfortable knowing that horrible things were coming, knowing they were going to happen. I didn't want to prevent them because I saw the happy ending that's coming at the end of this mission, but is it? I've been limiting my viewpoint to those onboard the Normandy those who are important to me… Am I being selfish?

I don't know what to do, the thoughts of me wanting to selfishly protect only those I care about conflicts with the idealist who wants the best for everyone, the one who gets sad and empathetic over the losses of others, the old me who would cry when he heard someone had died, even if he didn't know them, the old me who would see the pain in others and fall into it as well… the old me…

Or the new me, who stares at those same people and says at least it's no one I care about, those who matter to me are alive and nothing else is important. Those close to me are happy why should I care about anyone else…

Which is right and which is wrong? Is either of them right?

"Will," Shepard pulls me from my thoughts. "Get suited up we're going to go get Tali."


	32. Chapter 32

**Ch. 32**

**Run like hell and get the agony over with.**

**Clarence DeMar Quotes**

It's funny how time works. Half the time I wish time would pass faster. Then at other times I wish it would move so much slower… My time in imprisonment in the Owner's base, I wish it would've flown so much quicker than it did. My time on the citadel with Tali and Liana… I wish it would've moved slower. I wish it would've lasted forever actually. I loved that time, more than anything. The time I spent pretending to be Shepard's date… I wish it would've lasted.

So why am I so scared right now? The kind of scared that makes time slow down to a crawl, the kind of scared that makes your heart feel likes it's going to pound right out of my chest, the kind of scared that makes a single drop of cold sweat come out. Is it because I know, regardless of how happy our initial meeting might be, things have changed? I've changed… she's changed?

I forget sometimes that time passes for others, that they change when away from me. When we met last… how much had she changed? So responsible, leading people… losing people. I lost people, it hurt me, and I barely knew them for longer than five minutes… but Tali's known these people. Today she'll lose enough of them that she'll be fed up with taking orders for now and she'll join us.

Tali will still be sad, even if we get together again, because she'll lose people. You only see the frustration in the games… what comes after the frustration is sadness… you never see Tali cry for those she lost.

I shake my head to force those thoughts away; I need to be focused in this next mission. I have to focus because I'm going to do something Shepard won't like. I'm going to break away and charge to Tali saving as many of her people as I can along the way. I'm not being irresponsible, I told Shepard to bring along an extra because my gut told me that things would get hairy… and usually Shepard trusts those feelings from me. It makes me feel bad to abuse that trust.

That's why Garrus _and _Grunt are here. Grunt takes close range, Garrus long, and Shepard is all around. Just like how I played it.

Shepard is sitting across from me in the shuttle, Blood Dragon armor on, and her red Cyclops visor staring into me like she knows what I'm about to do. Garrus stands off to the side of her, looking at me as if I was a criminal. Both of them are expecting what I'm going to do. Both of them have instincts sharpened throughout their lives to know when someone's less than honest.

In that tense quiet atmosphere, where no words can pass… Grunt belches like a champion.

I loosen up with a laugh, when it stops I feel the butterflies that were trying to fight to the death in my stomach calm down. I can do this. I'm one of Shepard's crew; that alone makes you a badass. Anyone who can survive alongside Shepard through all the fights she gets into is immediately one of the best soldiers in the galaxy.

That was a little cocky I'll admit but… Shepard's team has never lost a fight… and no I don't count the Collector ambush as a defeat. When we're boots on the ground we can't lose; when we work… together.

I'm an idiot, my plan is stupid, and it might not work at all and all I manage to do is fail.

But, I want to do everything in my power to take as much pain from Tali as I can. I hate to see anyone cry… I'm at my worst around crying people… because I can't say anything. I can't do anything…

"Landing 1 minute," Guile calls back.

"Shepard, our data indicates that Tali is somewhere in these ruins, there is substantial geth activity, and an environmental hazard." EDI comes on the speaker.

"Guess you were right about things getting rough," Shepard remarks to me.

"It's a gift."

"What was that about an environmental hazard?" Garrus interrupts us.

"Solar output has overwhelmed Haestrom's protective magnetosphere." EDI explains…

"And for those of us who got a D in science?" I ask, I know the answer but I just feel like making a smarmy comment… though that was more of a question I suppose.

"Exposure to direct sunlight will damage your shields." EDI explains, not catching on.

"Get ready," Shepard, pulls her assault rifle from her back, an Avenger… classic. Garrus pulls a Mattock, Grunt pulls a Claymore shotgun, and I get my Locusts. Ready to run off and save as many quarians as I can.

We tense up as the inertial dampeners fade away for a moment with the landing, jarring us slightly. Not enough for any of us to actually even begin to lose our balance. The door pops open and I take my first look at Haestrom… basically a big stonewall.

Not the best first impression, but I can feel my heart in my throat… no matter how many times it happens inside I can't help but feel a bit of giddiness. Alien planet, I let everything else fade for a moment and just take in, alien planet. Someplace I've never been and no one from my planet has ever been. I can't help loving space travel; it's one thing that's stuck with me. I mean travelling amongst the stars and seeing all of these wondrous things… almost makes you forget about the Cthulu horrors waiting for you…

I take my time with the first step; and I feel an energy coming up from the ground when my foot lands. Though that's just in my imagination.

I step out into the shade and it's hot, I mean I feel a single bead of sweat. That's impressive, between my armor and the fact my bodies genetically conditioned to resist extremes.

Enough about me, I cut and run immediately.

"Will!" Shepard calls after me, I run downhill away from them, my boots clanking on the metal walkway-thing. I'm running full tilt, meaning I'm faster than either of the other three. In a dead-sprint I'm the fastest… I think. I pass through a patch of sunlight and immediately my shields start beeping out a warning.

So the sun is bad, I mean I knew it from the game, but you can't know for certain until it happens. I pass through the sunlight quickly though and I round a corner to spot the gate… I can clear it with a jump. I would take the time to drop the gate but even though I'm fast I'll need to get more of a lead, cause the geth could hold me up and I do not want Shepard catching me pinned down. She'll punch me in the head and possibly shoot me, or even worse… she'll start lecturing me.

I vault up and catch the edge of the gate and with a huge pull I yank myself over. I hit the ground running. Expecting a geth ambush… but I guess they haven't detected me, or maybe it's the gate dropping that get's their attention. I take a quick glance around, I wouldn't guess this place was a ruin with all the containers around most of them seem newish, then again the buildings are what decides a ruin and yep those are some pretty ruined buildings.

Kinda hard to understand how we think.

I run forward but I spot, a shadowy area off to the side… well I'm in shadows constantly here but you know more shadowy. I step into the shadows and I keep moving forward. I try to keep to the shadows but it's almost designed that sunlight will peak in and hit me, shave a miniscule amount of my shields off. I keep running.

Why aren't there any geth to stop me? I hear machinery and what I assume is the gate opening then all hell breaks loose. Gunfire starts and, I hear a geth drop ship flyover, and despite that… I hear a voice at the edge of my range and spin in the direction… nothing.

I speed forward, Shepard can tear through them, and nothing can stop them. I'm still a bit surprised I haven't had a stray shot go by seeing as Shepard's just kicked the hornet's nest. Which she always does… I've been on a dozen solo missions and other's with teams but no one starts a small-scale war quite like her.

I spin again hearing another group of voices… then more gunfire… quarians, but it's behind me? I cut right over a pallet of crates. I kick on my cloak but my shields start beeping again and it disengages, sunlight… it's hard to dodge sunlight considering it moves so much faster than me.

I spot a glint off of what I can assume is a geth head, an dodge behind a dark crate… I tense up behind my cover. I can't get pulled into a firefight; I still need to scout for the survivors. So far nothing but then again our entrance was from our landing zone so for all I know their ship is on the complete opposite side of the ruins.

Then again if I remember correctly there was a dead Quarian at the gatehouse in the game… I didn't even check that… all because I needed this lead to get there as fast as I could.

I stop breathing as a Geth Prime passes by on the opposite side of my box, with a bit of speed in it's step, likely trying to pass over the sunlit area, my box beside me an the wall behind me are giving me just enough shade but biggun is kinda outta luck. I feel that urge start welling up in me to let out a loud gasp to recover my breath, and that slight lightheadedness, but I can't afford to make a noise.

I freeze completely when a pair of scout drones come out of cloak right in front of me… facing away but by this point I can feel myself on the verge of blacking out. I let it out as quietly as I can… and I watch the two drones bobbing in the air.

They freeze, and start scanning the area. I think of aiming at them but almost feel like they'd be able to tell, like how organics know they're being watched. They begin turning to face me in my cover.

I activate my cloak a moment before the slowly turning drones face me and I was almost too late with it, and they might have caught sight of me while I was still visible… but, no, they cloak and take off. I check my motion tracker for more but I guess that was it. I think I catch a bit of friendly blue but only for a second.

I continue one and I start to recognize the area where if you were Shepard you'd find the dead Geth an the radio to Reegar… I put everything I've got into pushing forward. Kicking up my running to full speed I start to hear the chatter of weapons fire being exchanged… from in front of me rather than behind me, as has been almost constant… geez the Geth are barely slowing Shepard enough for me to get clear at a cautious pace, though the caution has been thrown to the wind.

I spot the firefight and bulrush right through it, from behind the Geth lines, it's the part where the drop ship is going to come in and wipe out the two quarians. I know this part because I always felt powerless watching them just get wiped out instantly.

I don't take as much fire to the back as I would have expected charging through geth lines, but I feel a weight on my waist and I start taking fire from the front. I hate when I get friendly fired… so I'm a little less gentle than I usually would be with my tackle pushing them back through the double doors moments before a gunship lays waist to the position they were just fighting to the death in.

The concussive force lifts us a little more through the air, and I pass through the second set of doors. I hear a collective gasp and look up just in time to see an assault rifle pointed at my face… I may have forgotten this part-

Bang!

* * *

**A/N: Ok I am back and I plan on updating regularly from here on out! I would appreciate reviews to keep me motivated and to help me grow as a writer! Thank you for putting up with the long waits!**

**On to Life!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Ch. 33**

**Even the knowledge of my own fallibility cannot keep me from making mistakes. Only when I fall do I get up again.**

**-Vincent van Gogh**

A Geth head explodes right next to mine. I let out a small sigh, but notice the gun is still focused on me. The Quarian behind it doesn't seem to keen on changing his mind pointing it at me. I take a glance at the assault rifle… a modified Mattock I can now recognize.

"Wait!" A male voice calls out… wait that voice actually sounds familiar. "I know him."

It's sort of that voice you've heard once and when you hear it again you already hate it instinctively. I only have one Quarian that I can think of that I hate instinctively.

"Hey Prazza." I remark.

"Tali's friend," he doesn't have as much anger towards me as before. "Will right."

"Yeah." I keep staring down the gun barrel pointed at me. "Could he stop pointing that at me or do I have to take it from him."

He tightens his grip, why am I so calm? Is it because I know somewhere deep inside, I won't be shot?

"He's Tali's friend you heard Prazza," the other Quarian I tackled remarks. He reaches a hand out to me, "Hi I'm Jerus, Jerus'Bailan Vas Salem."

"Witch trials or is it alien?" I take his hand.

"Dunno." He responds lifting me to my feet.

"Well I'm William Doe Vas Normandy I suppose," I shake his hand, "I was with Tali during the Saren thing."

"I'm-." Geth chose that moment to burst in from the other door.

I pull a phalanx and at almost the same time I fire a shot another hole appears right next to the one I open up in the lead Geth.

"Cover!" Jerus and I shout at the same time diving behind the same console. I pull out my other phalanx, and start unloading both of them at the door, I get a better look at the room in that moment strangely enough… looks like a field hospital, some quarians are down on the ground with tubes poking into ports on their suits. Wounded…

I plug another two Geth at the same time, as Jerus, we keep hitting the same targets. After the first three fall to me and Jerus, the rest retreat back, I get clipped in the arm by a shot but my shields take the hit, then fizzle off. What?

"It seems they've run for now." Prazza mentions. "I suggest we seal that door and."

"No!" Jerus and I say in synch. We both stop for a second and share a look.

"We have to get to Tali," Jerus and I say at the same time again. I have to take a bit of a longer look at him… what's his connection to Tali?

"We have wounded here, Tali has a whole squad protecting her," Prazza argues. "We need to fortify our position until we can get an evac."

"Then I'll go get her!" Jerus and I shout him down. We don't bother exchanging questioning glances this time.

"Lock the door behind us when we leave," Jerus tells Prazza.

"Commander Shepard is going to be coming through this door," I gesture to the one I tackled them through. "She'll be following after us."

"O-ok," Prazza tries responding to both of us but I guess we're overloading him a bit.

"Tali," Jerus is at a console and Tali's face appears.

"Jerus, I've been separated from my squad but I managed to seal myself in a room." She looks a bit different… did she do something with her armor? I remember the armor I gave to her, expensive, top of the line… is this different armor or did she just change up her accessories a bit? Her hood seems a bit different. "-Hear fighting outside the door."

"We're coming to get you." How much I want to say those words, "One of your friends is here."

I put my Geth hand on Jerus' shoulder and see Tali flinch for a second, heh. "Hey." I step into view, if you're not directly in front of one of these terminals you won't appear on the holography.

"Will?" Tali asks with a bit of shock in her voice, "how'd you get out here?"

"Well I was just sort of in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in on you." I pull my hood back letting my face be in full view; I'm smiling from ear to ear, genuinely happy to see her again.

I sense a smile behind her visor, "It's good to see you."

I smile back and that's all I want to do… smile at her.

"He says Commander Shepard is here as well," Jerus interrupts us, and Tali gets an awkward look on her face like she just did something bad.

"Where is she?" Tali asks me.

"I moved ahead of her to link up with these guys," I gesture, "my gut told me they'd need a bit of help."

"Good thing he got here too," Jerus comments, "saved me from a Geth bombing run." "Though, I think you oversold him a bit."

"All right we've talked enough," I cut in, "I can't wait to see you in person Tali." I grin again. I'm going to hug her till her spine cracks.

"So we'll hold down the fort you two connect with Kal's squad and return them and Tali'Zorah here, then we'll all leave together." Prazza isn't as much of a jerk as I thought he was.

"Don't forget Shepard will be coming through." Prazza didn't respond, "Didn't a 10 ton column fall in front of the door out there? Shepard isn't getting in anytime soon."

I only grin at him and say, "Don't underestimate Shepard."

With that Jerus and I start to move out… and I notice one of the Geth was active but not moving… It's fighting us but this one is… paralyzed… or hiding the fact it was alive from the quarians… I should get it out. I mean this conflict has to end and if I can help a bit by getting this guy clear maybe I'll get some organic sympathy… if Geth truly have sympathy.

I reach down with my Geth arm to pick up the weakened Geth unit "I'll clear this…" and the moment I touch it my mind explodes… figuratively of course.

Numbers pass through my head at a pace I can't even understand, like a dozen voices speaking at once counting, then words begin forming, still too fast to understand… and too many, thousands of voices saying thousands of things, but unlike when you're at the cafeteria, or in a train station… I can't tune them out! I try to fight back, try to make my voice heard try to make them quiet for a moment, but I'm not actually speaking… and to my surprise… it stops.

And I'm staring down at the Geth unit I'd been reaching towards, "…one out." I check my mission timer… literally less than a second had passed since I'd reached out. What was that feeling? The voices? Numbers? Hundreds speaking at once? Was it related to my dreaming or was it something new?

I feel my grip still tight around the arm, and I lift the Geth. Either way…

"Wait." Prazza orders. "I think that one might still be active, we should finish it."

The voices like a tide come crashing back; in I can only read the emotion, if it can be called that, fear, anger, and sadness. "No, this unit is no longer a threat," I respond, "I'll dispose of it." I move the Geth unit… obviously it could've downloaded away but it maybe it's interested in how I'm acting…

"Your war has to end." I can't control the words, "You have to let the past be past, both, have to let the past be past." I carry the Geth out of the door and place it on the ground; in the shade and place its one arm over its chest.

"Both," I stare into the glowing eye of the Geth as it fades away, the programs inside likely downloading to a satellite or some other thing. Regardless the Geth unit in front of me is now inactive.

"Tali said you liked making waves," Jerus says walking out of the door behind me, "didn't really understood what that meant… until just then."

"Do you know what started the war between your peoples?" I've only had Tali for conversation and I walk on eggshells with this subject around her.

"Does this unit have a soul?" Jerus answers, "We attempting to prevent true sentience tried to exterminate the Geth… we lost." "Which side was right? I don't know," he answers frankly enough, "I wasn't there, all I know is regardless who started it I've lost friends, and family to Geth."

That is what will continue this war. "Well let's push that away for now we have a damsel to un-distress."

The Geth that I want peace with… yeah at the moment they've decided shooting at me was the answer. It's just the first step, be nice, then after a few times less shooting. I dodge behind cover alongside Jerus.

"Want to try talking to them?" Jerus asks, sarcastically.

"Funny."

"No please solve the four-hundred year war, maybe another small random act of kindness?"

"I know I know," I pop around cover and plug a shot into a Geth trooper that didn't care about cover, Jerus blows another hole into the Geth before it can fall.

"Double tap," he explains before I can turn.

"I want things to change," I find myself saying, I switch to my locusts and launch a barrage forcing a pair of Geth into cover. Surprising… they've taken losses so they should be getting less intelligent… unless.

"More incoming!" Jerus shouts and dives at me, pushing me down into a cluster of boxes, as a Geth dropship does a flyby. The sound of Geth units landing around us fills my ears. I pull my pistol and send a flurry of shots into a shimmer that was moving towards us and a hunter appears and falls towards us as my guns run dry.

I grab it's shotgun, and blast another shimmer that approaches, the three plasma ball looking things vanish into the shimmer and it's cloak shuts off and it returns fire killing my shield.

It levels its gun for another shot…

Jerus blows it away before the Geth can squeeze the trigger.

A spray of fire comes at us from all directions.

I drop the shotgun and pull out my pistols, Jerus lifts an assault rifle, a Geth assault rifle, wasn't he using a Mattock before? He sprays fire from it and we duck back into our little box fort.

"How many?" We shouldn't be getting held up at this point…

"Sixteen I think," he reloads and leans it against a box, then pulls out his Mattock.

"Troopers?"

"Mostly but I think I saw a Destroyer." An explosion impacts the side of the crate and I brace thinking they'll fall over.

"These crates weigh hundreds of pounds it'll take a bigger explosion to shift them over."

I pop up and take a shot clipping a Geth and making it stagger but the returning flurry forces me back down.

Jerus pulls a weird orb shaped thing out, circuitry somewhat exposed, and running all around it.

He jumps up and for a moment I spot the object glow blue, then he launches it and I hear only what I can describe as a tase-splosion and the sound of Geth units deactivating.

"What was that?" I ask when he ducks back down.

"Little homebrewed electronic-pulse-emitter," he answered off handedly, "releases enough energy to charge the air around it and fry anything close enough."

"So a tase-grenade?"

"A little more lethal than a Taser but I guess you've got the right…"

A small object fell into our little box fort… round… with a single… Fu-

Jerus and I dove out like leap frogs extending our legs and jumping as high as we could as fast as we could. I felt the pressure before the heat, and I was launched higher into the air, Jerus had been blown off to the side, as he'd leaped at an angle… me, I leaped straight into the air… fear making me go about ten feet straight up, and all the pressure from the blast was forced up towards me thanks to the ring of freaking indestructible crates. I lift another foot and start descending.

* * *

A/N: If you enjoyed the chapter leave a review.

I know I'm stretching this out till we meet Tali… it builds tension.

Plus I've always been a bit of a troll.


	34. Chapter 34

**Ch. 34**

**While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.**

**-Stephen R. Covey Quotes**

_ I'm running and I feel fear in my heart, I feel slicing pain and my breath fades, I heard words, "Will!?"_

I leap to my feet. "I'm here!" I shout, and then I feel a bullet whiz by my head and a hand dragging me back down.

"Are you crazy!" Wait is that Kal/Adam Baldwin? I loved Firefly!

"Sorry rough dream." I respond with an internal laugh.

"You did get blown to the moon a while back!" Jerus chimes in reminding me he's there. Wait how did I get here? I glance around.

"How did I get here?" I ask realizing that I'm at the end of the Tali mission all that's left is the final boss.

"After you flew I dragged you here," Jerus responds, "but more on that later!" A flurry of shots starts peppering our cover with a little more gusto than a moment before.

I reach around noting that I have no weapons, with the exception of my knife. Which while very sharp I doubt that I'll be able to kill a colossus with it. Then again… nah, "Sit rep."

"It's just the three of us left, there were a few others when I arrived but…" Jerus looks away and a small sigh escapes his lips.

"I get it." This will make more hatred… weird how I've been lately with the whole Quarian-Geth war thing… how vocal I was earlier… that's not me. More bullets smashing into the metal wall I'm currently crouched behind takes me out of my philosophical mindset an letting me fall back into my mission-survival mindset.

"Kal's launcher is the only reason we haven't been overrun and it won't last forever," Jerus comments.

"Tali?" I'm genuinely worried for once, before it was all according to plan but…

"Hard to hack a door when someone's shooting rockets at ya," Kal responds, "as far as I know she's still fine."

"But," I start, but Kal jumps up and launches off a couple of rockets and the shooting from the other side stops for a moment.

"The hero of Haestrom the man they call… Kal," I mumble to myself.

"Our only real problem is that colossus," Kal adds as another electronic sounding explosion smacks into the wall behind us, I feel my teeth tingle but besides that no damage, or other affects.

"Normal strategy is to whittle it down but the colossus…"

"Has an auto repair feature that blows that plan all to hell." I finish for him; "we have to hit it with all we've got in moments."

"How did you?"

"I'm magic," I respond with a laugh. "Now then I need a gun."

"Good priorities," Kal passes me a pistol, basic model most common in the universe. Low punch rapid fire, good enough till I get a geth gun. Then I'll kill my way through the rest. Then… I glance at Jerus.

"How many of those weird tase-grenades do you have left?"

"Seven," he responds with a tone that's asking, 'why?'

"I need six of them," I grin wide.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this," Jerus responds handing me the grenades.

"Because you know just by looking at me that whatever I've come up with is insane, flashy, an possibly stupid, but… it'll work." I smile even wider if that was possible. I take his grenade belt and weave it around myself.

"So what's your plan?" Jerus looks very closely at me.

"Kill the colossus," I smack my chest and vanish diving around the corner and sprinting past crates up the metal ramp, but halfway out of cover I remember… sunlight bad. My cloak fades, and I can feel the colossus staring at me… Hell he is.

I sprint, abandoning tactics and intelligence I run up the ramp to the right, I fire my pistol a few dozen times impotently at the colossus, and dive around the corner, getting just out of sunlight. I wait to hear my shields recharge… and nothing, it's past the point where my shields should be coming back to me… what the? The bar on my HUD doesn't show anything on my shield bar…

"Jerus my shields are down," I say into my comm, "what the hell?"

"Shrapnel probably damaged some of your electrical systems, check your radar…"

I glance down and notice it's completely blank… then I hear metal on concrete and a geth round the corner, I dive forward and grab the geth, placing my pistol under it's… well not necessarily a chin… bottom of it's head, and empty the rest of my shots into it… and with my other arm yank his gun out of his hands. A shotgun… but a geth shotgun so, ranged not necessarily close up. I'm against standing up; I like having shields to y'know… prevent my death.

I'm not going to lie, I'm scared right now, and shields give you a margin for error. No shields mean I can't have any errors. Strange how my normally insane plans that I have become a lot scarier when I don't have my split second advantage of superior shields…

I still can't fall back… I can't run. Strange how much fear is seeping in now; it used to not be this bad. Whatever, I push it away and rise up, in time to spot a geth, and blast it with my shotgun. I hear the collossus's gun charge up and dive as it smacks the railing/wall, blowing part of it away. That's not good. I jump up and run trying to use the time between shots to get closer.

I blast the shotgun at a geth that pops up in front of me and dive against anticipating the blast… but it doesn't come instead I hear the impact of a rocket off a short ways… this bridge seemed a lot shorter in the game… but I'm almost to the spot… the opening in the railing that I can toss the grenade… I…

I fall forward… something clipped me… and… I can't… I feel a warmth along my side… the shot missed my ribs… but… I reach for my medi-gel… none… I'm an idiot… the explosion. I collapse to my knees in the middle of the bright sunlight, and I can feel my skin burning, especially where I'm certain I got grazed… but why is it so hard to breathe?

I hear shouting and more firing, I can smell my skin cooking… or is that in my head? I could very well imagine myself imagining that so that it would fit my current percep-

Not now inner monologue. I can't roll so I crawl, I crawl along the ground, one hand trying to hold my side, which for some reason helps me breath, the other dragging me forward through the hot concrete… or whatever Quarian building mat-

Dammit monologue.

I almost reach the opening… when I see one last geth… the final gatekeeper to the boss I'm meant to take down and end this, I let go of my side and roll… I immediately want to scream, but I can't keep air in. I feel cold. I draw my knife and launch it at my would-be attacker…

The handle bounces off its chest… I really should've learned to throw a knife. I used the split second to coil one of my legs behind me… I have to go forward. I extend my leg and launch myself forward through the air, and I slam into the Geth, who immediately punches me in the side… I scream…

I want to die, the pain screams at me, but… I feel almost numbed against it. Like something is weakly trying to hold it back for me. I smash the Geth's optic, with a hammer strike from my Geth arm, blinding it. I feel it return a hit to my face, and I see stars for a moment, before I slam back down with my fist on my Geth arm into its chest cracking it's armored exterior. When it punches me in the side again my vision fades for a moment, a single second of blackness and blood spitting out of my mouth… I might die.

I will not. Die. Here

I slam down my other hand, cracking its chest further and I feel a pain in my hand distantly, I slam down my Geth arm smashing through and leaving it's insides exposed… I grab and tear out its heart… central processor thing. I crawl over it and unloop the grenade belt. I use what I have left to stand, and stare down the Collossus from my perch on the walkway.

"Surrender." The grenades activate on impact. The Collossus stares blankly at me and I glare at it with the determination to end it in a moment.

"Surrender!" I wheeze, and I wind my arm back, "it's over!"

I see the charge beginning to build up in it's 'eye' "You chose," I launch the grenades at it with the speed of a major league pitcher, the impacts caused a cascade of electricity, to arc all over it. I feel emotions flowing through my head, numbers and words, more than before and I feel… darkness… and fear, and that eye that had shown so brightly moments before… went dark.

As I let the exhaustion win I see a trio approaching me and in my tired state I smile for a moment…

I hear things first, "Hold on!" Worried, but I feel so…

I feel the cold ground underneath me, and a pressure pushing on my chest… the wound in my side doesn't hurt anymore so that's good. I feel something in my chest but I feel something pushing on my lips…

I open my eyes and Shepard's face is right there. She's… kissing me… well technically it's CPR but…

She moves away to do more chest compressions and I feel… something coming up. I roll over and end up on my hands and knees retching, I cough and wheeze and finally… I spit out a big old glob of blood that I can only assume was in my lungs. I wipe my face on my sleeve and notice that I have omni-gel covering the wound in my side… gotta love omni-gel.

"Hey Shepard." I start to stand and only at the last second do I notice a fist flying at my face. I can't dodge and I'm back down on my butt a few seconds later holding a brand new bruise...

"Never again." She says it so simply but the message is crystal clear.

"Yes ma'am," I say with less joke than I usually do. I did this of my own volition and I knew going into it that Shepard would be mad at me for what I did… but… I had hoped that I would've seen Tali first…

"I'm not too certain on human culture but does this mean you two are, 'going steady'," Garrus remarks, and I can feel a tiny bit of pain in his voice… that's when I see how hurt they are, scrapes bruises and blood running down the side of his face.

"It was CPR," I cringe inside my actions caused my friends pain but… "It was to save my life so it doesn't count."

"I wouldn't kiss you to save your life." Garrus remarks joking.

"That hurts," I turn to Grunt he's not bad; just some small cuts, "Grunt you'd kiss me to save my life right?"

He looks at me, his blue eyes piercing into my very soul… "No."

"Well that's disheartening." I laugh at the response, "well to make things even I'd never kiss either of you." I laugh again.

"I'm heartbroken," Garrus responds with a laugh.

The atmosphere despite my best efforts doesn't really get past awkward, Shepard's mad, Garrus is injured, Grunt… well Grunt got to fight so he seems pleased… well now that the fighting is over he's probably disappointed.

"Will." Shepard calls to me that punishing tone in her voice… I was hoping the punch was it.

"Shepard," I turn to her, "I'm sorry, I did something stupid and you guys paid for that." I let my shoulders slump, and I feel weariness flood in behind it. "I can only say that I had the best intentions when I did it, and I managed to save some lives doing it." I lift them back. "I'm not making excuses and I'll take whatever punishment you think is fine, but can we hold that till after our happy reunion with our old friend?"

She sighs, "We will talk later on the ship."

"No prob-," we open the door and the sight freezes the blood in my veins… it's the opposite of the happy heart stopping, my whole being seems to stop in that moment, my skin grows cold, my saliva vanishes, and I feel my legs trying to collapse… because…

Tali and Jerus are… more than friends I can tell from them holding each other close, and it's different than a friend… it's that calm holding that makes it seem like they won't separate.

"Couldn't be a worse punishment," I hear Shepard mumble so low I and her are the only ones who know what she said… she may not even be conscious of it…

Tali… has a boyfriend… and I saved his life…

Fuckin' Karma…

* * *

**A/N: I know swearing isn't cool but I felt Will is kind of in that place that facilitated mental swearing. I can't wait to hear what you guys have to say!**

**Review, and I hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Ch. 35**

**The emotions aren't always immediately subject to reason, but they are always immediately subject to action**

**-William James**

"Greet your… can talk later." I catch parts of Jerus's conversation.

Tali approaches me, genuinely happy to see I'm ok… but… I put on a fake smile, one of those I hate. I'm dead inside right now… it's that feeling that makes you just move through the motions of life without out any spirit behind it.

"Will!" She says when she gets close and wraps her arms around me. I don't feel my usual joy when hugged by someone I like… I feel weak, but I hug her back.

"It's good to see you are all right…" I let her go. I know my smiles fake… but I'm good at faking it now. "I've missed you."

"We have a lot to talk about," She says it in that happy tone, meaning let's catch-up on what's been happening in each others worlds. I repeated the words in my head, 'we have a lot to talk about…' but it's a bit more sinister in my head, I mean… I glance at Jerus… there is actually one main subject I'd want to talk about. How and why? When?

"We do," I respond simply continuing my fake smile.

"Tali," Garrus mercifully cuts in, "It's good to see you."

"Garrus," She greets him, "you don't look too good."

"I was just getting shot at so… I'm doing better than most." Garrus laughs.

"Tali," Shepard nods… she's military mode at the moment. I don't know if it's because of what we just saw or, if she's just in that at the moment.

"Shepard," Tali walks over to her, "it's been a while."

"Tali, we need your help," Shepard begins…

"You've come to recruit her." Jerus says approaching.

"Shepard let me introduce Jerus'Bailan vas Alem," Tali chooses facilitate introductions. "A… friend of mine."

"What were you doing here if you don't mind me asking," Shepard cuts the subject suddenly.

"Gathering data on this worlds sun, it is aging faster than it should," She begins.

"Was it worth it?" Shepard asks on the offensive, "quarians died for this data."

"More would have without Will," Jerus cuts in deflecting the conversation, "if he hadn't arrived when he did Prazza and I would be dead, blown up or crushed by a column, whichever got the final hit."

"How was Prazza's group?" I ask Jerus.

"When we passed through they seemed fine, didn't want to unlock the door and almost came to a fist fight…"

"Almost?" Prazza's voice enters the room, and a holographic representation of his face, his helmet with a small crack in it.

"Grunt what do you say," Shepard looks over at him.

"Sorry," then Grunt does his signature laugh. Can't doubt his sincerity, and obviously he didn't hit him hard, I mean his head is still attached… more of a love tap it seems.

"That was not sincere," he responds.

Jerus turns to the hologram, "See to the injured and get them onto the ship, I'll tell you more when you need to know."

The hologram fizzles out.

"Tali we need your help, with the collector's…" Shepard adds, "I need people I can trust." The words are truthful; with non-personal things we can trust each other, when lives are at stake we can trust each other…

"I'm in," Tali says easily enough. "We have our data and you saved my team so I can't think of a better thank you than to return the favor and help you with your mission."

"I know we just met but I want to help as well," Jerus adds.

"Jerus…"

"What can you do?"

"I'm a scientist and a soldier, I've got degrees in twelve different fields from xeno-biology to cybernetics, I invented the grenades Will used to take out the Colossus."

"I thought you said those were still experimental," Tali turns to him accusingly… wow I hedged my last bet in a fight on experimental technology.

"I haven't gotten the frequency quite right to shock organic neural patterns, for now they only work on synthetics." He responds. "And no that's not a feature it's a flaw, we get into more fights with raiders and slavers than we do with geth, and tuned properly they could be used to non lethally take down groups." He notices us staring at him.

"I can help and I will in any way I can."

"What would your admirals say?" Shepard asks him, not worrying about what they'd say about Tali because… She's Shepard that's why.

"Nothing, I work voluntarily on these missions," He responds, "and I know what you're up against." "Tali told me about her journey's with you and about the Reapers… I want to help."

"One moment." Shepard turns back to me and Garrus and we form a huddle. "I want your personal opinions and professional opinions."

"Both? "I don't want him on board but then again I'm kind of biased against him at this moment so… "Personally, I…" I consider the fact he dragged me all the way here, and likely had to fight his way through geth while making sure I stayed alive… the bastard… making me owe him… "Don't have much to say, he saved my life and I have to appreciate that." I hate his guts and wish to push him out of an airlock. "Professionally he can fight from what I've seen and if he's half as smart as he says he is he could be useful."

"He seems trustworthy but…"

"He's trying to hard to get onto the Normandy," Shepard finishes.

"That might be because of Tali," I remark tearing my soul out at the same time. I hate owing someone my life, means I have to hate them less even when they've taken someone I care about… That sounds like I think she's dead.

Shepard turns towards Tali and Jer-douche; "All right we'll bring him aboard… on a probationary status…"

"Shepard, I doubt he'd be worse than Jack… or even Grunt," Grunt looks over at me, "Tell me you're not one of the most violent beings in the galaxy."

"Eh," he bobs his head in agreement.

"Don't make me regret this," Shepard says to Tali with force, that means more than just the current issue.

"You won't," Jerus cuts between Shepard and Tali and starts shaking Shepard's hand vigorously. "This is awesome," He grabs Tali and spins while hugging her… and… it hurts…

I… hurt.

"Kal!" Tali suddenly says bringing Jerus out of his revelry.

"He's fine, his condition is stable I made sure of it he's just waiting to get off planet."

"A bit tired of waiting around," Aforementioned Kal says limping into the room, his suit has what appears to be duct tape covering certain openings… though I'm fairly certain it's a more advanced sealant than that…

"Kal," Tali says again rushing over and giving him a light hug.

"Ouch, I'm fine ma'am." I can hear the wince in his voice and all I can think of is… been there and I smile a bit…

That brief second of levity fades and I'm left numb again. I can't help myself it's just… I didn't expect this to happen. I mean I can barely accept people changing their hairstyles or wearing contacts instead of glasses… but Tali has a boyfriend! And he's not me…

I keep the smile, "We should get going shouldn't we?" I suggest. I want off this planet I want to go onto the Normandy and hide somewhere. I want to be left to be the angsty super soldier I seem to be becoming… Then I'll go hit Grunt… my daily workout routine… whining then getting punched in the face by a krogan… What happened to me?

NO, not now brain, later… we'll try to get that question answered later for now, fake smile and try and rush everyone out the door. "I'll get everyone home safe," Kal assures Tali who seemed to be about to say something. "I'll also make sure they accept this, these people saved us least we can o is return the favor and let them borrow you two."

I get most everyone through the door but Reegar stops me, "Keep her safe for us."

I nod, "Of course."

And I zombie walk my way out, we pass the quarians who all mostly come to thanks us… even Prazza though he gets a bit flinch when Grunt walks by, and I'm sure they're saying things that matter to them words of gratitude and wisdom… but I'm not hearing it. I don't care an the time seems to fly and we're back at the landing site with the shuttle just coming into sight… see I can't even make a site sight joke right now… Shepard notices that they're carrying some of my stuff, and they readily give it back when she tells them.

We board it and while I'm sure everyone's talking… I'm still not listening. I'm mired in my own head, so much so that we've already landed on the Normandy… didn't I just sit down?

Guile comes out of the cockpit all smiles and joy. "Looks like we have some new friends!" He approaches Tali and Jerus. "Pleasure to meet both of you, I'll be piloting most of your missions." "My name is Guillaume Biche, Call me Guile."

I almost forgot Guile's last name… wait a minute… is he French?

"Hello Jerus'Bailan vas Alem." He shakes Guiles hand, I feel like there's a look that passes between them but then Jerus's face falls away and it's a smile… or am I just imagining things? I do dislike him… using very weak language…

"This must be Tali'Zorah Vas Neema," He shakes her hand, "a pleasure."

"Nice to meat you Guile," Tali says with more than a little trepidation… I mean he is wearing the Cerberus logo. Still though she did shake his hand.

"Now I know that Cerberus are assholes," wow never heard someone speak so plainly, "but I just want you to know that those of us on this ship… are only here to support Shepard, I personally have many alien friends."

"Why Cerberus?" Tali asks, why have I never asked that question? Do I just not care?

"My ex-wife was an asari…" he responds, "she left with the kids… and this is my own little revenge." He smiles manically, "kidding." He laughs at Tali's expression that had gone from quizzical to 'oh keelah something's wrong with him.'

"I didn't know you were married," I say out loud.

"You also don't know I have four kids," He laughs.

"You have four kids?"

"Yeah," he laughs. "I'll show you some photos later, maybe."

"For now Commander I would like to volunteer to show our new members the ship," he snaps to attention.

Shepard… despite herself… almost thinks of smiling. I think, "Permission granted." "But later first we need to brief them on the mission."

"Of course," Guile smiles, and falls at ease.

Garrus, who's been uncharacteristically quiet, grabs me as the group moves away. "You alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I respond insincerely.

"Because I saw how you two parted on the Citadel, I know that was more than friends… and now she's…"

"Seemingly happy." I cut him off. "And I should be able to accept that… I should be happy for her… right?" I turn away, I should probably see Chakwas but… I can't stop myself from saying, "so why isn't it enough?" I ask him meeting his gaze. "Why isn't it enough that she's happy, my do I want her to happy with just me? Why is the fact she has a… close friend tearing me apart."

"We all want them to be happy… it's just we wish we could be happy with them…" Then I realize whom I'm talking to and that I'm an ass for pointing out this problem to him… considering I'm in the running for Shepard's boyfriend.

"Do you miss the time when we just had to shoot things?" I ask him changing the topic, "I mean… when did it all get so complicated?"

"It's always been complicated… it's just back then we were rushing everywhere, chasing a goal with almost no preparation or solid plan and always a step behind with never enough time…" He sighs, "now though… we have too much time, too much time to think, and so we do what we can to hide from it… in my case I've turned to a hobby."

"Calibrations?"

"No, interpretive dance."

I stop and look at him, his face dead serious… and I feel the corners of my mouth working their way up against my will and a smile forcibly forming… then laughter, insane maniacal laughter, like I haven't laughed in forever.

"Let's catch up," I let my stress slide by. For now at least… but I feel it in the back of my mind… it felt cold… like the barrel of a gun.

We didn't catch the elevator… and they didn't hold it for us… not cool man.

So by the time we've reached the conference room, "EDI our AI…" Jacob says.

And Tali storms out past us.

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**A/N: Ok few things to say, **

**1. We've passed two hunred reviews! *confetti. Thank you to all my reviewers for well... reviewing! Keep it up! As long as you keep reviewing I'll keep pumping out chapters... I'm not doing it for the reviews but... they help to ****motivate me.**

**2. Into Fire Emblem? Read Branded by AmrasElanesse, he's a friend of mine and I actually enjoy the story.  
**

**3. Thank you again to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and favorited me as an author.**

**I'm a little emotional... I doubled my original goal of reviews for this story and that's why I'm getting so grateful.**

**Well then I hope you enjoyed the chapter (and are outraged at my decision to pair Tali up with an OC) **

**On to life!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Ch. 36**

**God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain**

**C.S. Lewis Quotes**

I… don't know what to do, on the one hand I do want to go down and talk to Tali… but something else in me wants me to stay away from her.

So here I am, on the engineering deck but not in the room. I can't… cause she's there… and so is he. I'm not ready for this. I turn away and bump into Grunt.

"Wanna fight?" He asks, I'm still a bit hurt from the explosion that hit me in the face, but… I need stress relief.

"Sure."

"Did I hear fight?" and Guile appears out of thin air. In reality he just walked out of the engineering room, I catch a glimpse of Tali behind him before the doors close. I feel it, pain.

We open the elevator and there Shepard is, in a tank top and exercise pants. "I hope you two don't mind I invited the Commander as well."

"Wait how did you know?" WE just decided on it five seconds ago and he… Knew… then again Grunt and I are constantly… no how?

We go down to the cargo bay, most open area on the ship with only a few containers strewn about. The floor was hard and metal but… well beggars and choosers. I'm in my crew clothes, but they can't really limit my movement. Grunt however is wearing the same armor he always is.

We square off, circling each other, waiting to see who'll launch into it first. Grunt's become surprisingly cautious he's not just berserk charging. He steps in covering most of the distance between us in a single stride, and cocks back his arm for a haymaker.

Spoke too soon, I weave past his swing, and get smashed in the side of the head. I see stars and the end of the swing; he'd punched wide on purpose, then arced his forearm back and hit me in the head with it. Ok then gotta be smarter.

I step in this time; I look for a place to punch only to realize that with his armor and skull plate the only real places I have to aim for are small less armored joints or his face. I swing a hook in and I feel the flesh around my fist as Grunt takes the hit. I force him back a step…

"Push in!" Guile shouts.

I run up and plant both palms on Grunts chest and heave; the push makes Grunt miss a back-step and trip.

"Not what I meant but whatever works." I hear Guile say.

I swing a kick into Grunt's ribs and the kick hurt… me, that armor is hard stuff, I back away hopping on one foot. I need to learn kicks. Grunt's back up and we approach each other again.

"You're both wrong," Guile says stepping between us. "Will use your speed to pile up hits, wear him down and then smash him with a solid knockout, and avoid kicks you don't know how to do them so all you'll do is hurt yourself."

Shepard steps towards Grunt, "Grunt, keep your guard up don't depend simply on your natural defenses don't give him that chance to pile the hits up and when he makes a mistake make him pay, and focus on body shots, kill his legs."

We step back, Guile and Shepard start to move away when Guile suddenly moves towards me with a final piece of advice, "Pretend he's Jerus."

"Got it."

We start immediately, Grunt brings his arms up to Guard and moves closer, I spot a slight opening so I drop low and swing and uppercut through the bottom of his guard clocking him on the chin and annoying him enough to swing back at me, I land a pair of jabs after dodging his retaliation.

"Put more snap in your wrist, and turn your hips more!" Grunt swings and I try to follow his instructions, more rotation in the hips, and POW I knock Grunt back with my Geth arm straight. He clocks me at the same time though, punching my stomach out through my back… at least that's what it feels like. I fight down the urge to get reacquainted with my lunch.

One arm holding my stomach I try and move back in but I feel sluggish.

"Guard up!" Guile shouts, and I see Grunt move in, I feel another punch smash its way into my guts, and I get launched back a few feet. Then an image comes into my head, Jerus with Tali… after all the time I spent… all that time thinking she was waiting, thinking things wouldn't change those months trying to get a message out to her!

I deflect Grunts next punch by swatting it aside with my Geth arm and I launch a punch across his face, nothing horribly damaging but he's surprised, a fast light punch. He swings at me again and I can see it… like it's moving in slow motion; I launch another punch after slipping his, and then another. Grunt lands one on me but I don't pay it any attention. All I can see is Jerus, and all I want in my head is the thought that he'd taken her. I launch a punch with all I've got at Grunt's head, and nothing.

_"No less than you deserve," then the shadow moves I find myself stepping forward as a shot rings out…_

I wake up moments later to Shepard and Guile standing over me. "Ok good he's still alive."

"What happened?"

"When you swung at Grunt he punched you as well and… well krogan fists are a bit harder than human skulls."

I let out a sigh… another loss, "But you took him out too."

I didn't lose? I…

"So how about we spar now," Guile suggests to Shepard, "Give the kids a bit of a show.

"I don't want to hurt you old man," Shepard replies.

He only smiles, "I'm a bit tougher than I look." He cracks his neck, but doesn't take a fighting stance. "C'mon."

Shepard has a 'great now I gotta break his hip look on her face.' Shepard approached Guile with her guard not really up… then Guile sprung into action a low sweeping kick taking out Shepard's front leg… or would have if Shepard hadn't raised her leg dodging the kick, but despite the dodge her surprise… Guile continued the force from his low spin suddenly springing up high with another kick aimed for Shepard's head… she's only just put her leg back so she can't dodge! Instead she puts both arms up and blocks the kick.

That was less than two seconds. Guile lands lightly and smirks. Shepard uses that moment to step in and land a punch into his stomach, but Guile catches it and twists Shepard's arm but she, pulls free before he can lock it, and launches a kick back at him.

He steps back, one hand on his stomach, but the smile was still on his face.

"Very good."

He launches a kick forward but stops an instant before hitting, dodging back out of Shepard's attempt to grab the leg. Guile steps in and lands a punch on the side of her head; a light, fast one. Shepard reeled back from it though.

Shepard calmed herself. "Where did you learn to fight?"

"The galaxy," he answers, "I've had to fight every day to survive, every day." "I've lived quite a few days."

"I see," Shepard suddenly changed something in how she carried herself. She stepped in and landed a pair of punches on Guile before he could react. His smile fades for a moment and he steps back.

"N7 are really all they are cracked up to be." He steps forward, and bows, "I think that's enough for today."

"Really?"

"I put a lot into the opening," he responds. "I'm going to take a rest." He's not even breathing hard.

"No, you're not tired." Shepard calls him out.

"Commander…"

"Knock me down then I'll let you leave." Shepard says taking a stance.

Guile doesn't seem amused, or is he amused? Behind a face that doesn't like orders is the amusement of… I don't know. He steps forward, and sweeps her leg… no it was a feint the moment Shepard tried to dodge by lifting her front leg he fully extended catching her back leg and knocking it out from under her.

She falls on her butt, relatively unharmed, "I'll be taking my leave then."

"Whoa," I hear Grunt moan and regain consciousness.

"Will, you recovered," Shepard asks.

"Uh-oh."

"That's a yes then."

I limp away in pain, and I rather not remember the horrible details of what Shepard just did to me in her aggravation from losing to Guile. I mean Grunt even joined in on my team and she wiped the floor with both of us… how good is Guile then? I mean… he's just the shuttle pilot isn't he? I mean I've known for so long that he was a good fighter but… he took Shepard down easy… and even gently. It doesn't help me much that I still haven't gotten past that part of me that doesn't truly want to hurt a girl… but Guile

What is he?

Well I feel like talking… reminiscing maybe, thinking about other things than the pain all over my body.

I stop outside the forward gun port, Garrus… The door opens without me doing anything and he rushes out, "Good timing I wanted to ask for your help with something."

"Sidonis?"

His face falls grim, but there's turmoil in his eyes… like there's something he can't shake inside of him. "Yeah." There's something in his eyes as he looks at me.

"I know what he did." He was Garrus's friend who betrayed him to the merc's on Omega… he's the reason that Garrus took a missile to the face for me…

"How?" His arms cross suddenly and I feel like I'm the center of his focus.

"Please… we found you fighting for your life, and you suddenly become fixated on this guy, I'd have to be stupid not to guess that he was a traitor." I'm babbling now.

"Right well, I tracked him down to the Citadel… and I want you and Shepard to help me…"

"Do what?" I don't want Garrus to fall down the wrong way; justice isn't just shooting someone in the head… I consider my own situation and how I'm hunting the Owner… all the Owner has really done is threaten me and Tali… not to mention the body modification and torture… and I'm more than willing to shoot him in the dome should he ever be man enough to show it to me in person…

How can I deny Garrus it? Could I do it just so he'd be better than me? Or simply because that was my choice in game… What do I?

"I want your help to find him, after that…" he lets the sentence end… dead. He wants to kill Sidonis I can feel it in my heart… because Sidonis would deserve it. Sidonis betrayed those who were… his… friends... betrayed Garrus…

Just like Liana betrayed me… no, Siddons's was worse he betrayed Garrus to save his own life… what was Liana's reason? Was she being threatened? Or was it simply her plan the entire time? All just one giant spiral pulling me in until I believed everything she told me… believed what my gut said because… I liked her somewhat…

"I can't give you much advice in the form of revenge…" I remark to Garrus who had started to walk past me, "I haven't been in that situation yet, where I have them dead to rights… but at this moment if I saw the Owner… I'd shoot him through his head, and do it a dozen extra times just to make sure he couldn't do anything again…"

Then Guile walked up, "Hey boys what are you talking about?" He asks with a smile on his face countering the mood.

"Travel plans," Garrus answers… and there's something different on his face… a weight, I think…

"Citadel is lovely this time of year… then again I'm more of an Illium man myself." He laughs, "Something about Nos Astra in its summer." He smiles.

Garrus feigns a smile and nod and walks off.

"How'd you know we were talking about the Citadel?"

"Were you? Well it is the Citadel, sort of a roads and Rome thing," he walks away with a slight nod.

I've never thought much on Guile, why he was here, what he used to do… all I know is the story he told me… I don't know what to think about, Garrus going after Sidonis and Guile being a kungf u master, that dream... and the true thing that's tying up the back of my mind Jerus and Tali… whom I've been avoiding…

Where did yesterday go? Well the day before yesterday…

* * *

**A/N: I missed my normal Deadline of about 4:30! But I managed to get this in sorry if there're more spelling mistakes than usual I got blocked up and ended up all-nighting this chapter and I was still making revisions down to the wire.**

**Please Review and tell me what you think so far!**


	37. Chapter 37

**Ch. 37**

**The average man's judgment is so poor, he runs a risk every time he uses it.**

**Edgar Watson Howe**

We're back at the Citadel, and Garrus had spoken to Shepard about bringing me along, considering my poor history… who am I kidding I have a horrible record for teamwork. Actually it's not that bad but… I'm still semi-doghouse for the whole… abandoning them to try and save Quarians thing, but she hasn't said anything to me considering the whole, 'hey that girl you like… she's been taken sorry but life goes on!' thing.

She's grown more aggressive towards Guile though, but he remains aloof, but avoids Shepard where he can, and considering we don't need a shuttle ride, he should be pretty free on this one. Some of the crew is taking it as a short break, considering Shepard said we'd be here for a few days. Something about chasing downs some of Garrus's contacts who were unwilling to talk in person.

Then we'll track down Sidonis, and Garrus might get to kill him… Shepard might stop him… but… I don't know. Revenge has been a big motivator for me… how could I speak of leniency on Sidonis… who's done horrible things to Garrus… whilst crying my 'Punisher-esque' vengeance from metaphorical rooftops?

I can't…

I lose that train of thought as Tali exits the ship, alone. "Hey." She says to me forcing conversation.

We're currently the only ones standing in the outer area. I having decided to head out but leaving my comm on so Shepard can contact me at a moments notice… like I wish she was right now. "Hi." I've devolved to awkward me, the one who didn't talk to girls.

"Going into the wards?"

"Yeah I thought I'd take a bit of a walk through the shops." I put my hands into my pants pockets. I'm not wearing my normal crew clothes, instead I've got a black hoodie and a pair of blue jeans, and they remind me of home.

The hoodie was… I like hoodies… well… I stare at Tali for a moment, hoods.

Mine however is down, I seem less threatening. I am unarmed and despite the horrible fashion I have a glove over the part of my geth arm showing… though since it's three fingered I appear to be wearing a mitten over one hand… doesn't matter much as I keep it hidden away in my pocket as a sort of double layer of protection.

Tali though was… beautiful… I mean wearing the same gear as she did when I first saw her, the Quarian exo-suit with purple cloth covering sections of it, fitting tightly to her… frame.

"Mind if I come along?"

Oo loaded question, on the one hand… aw screw thinking, "Sure."

Keep it one-word responses… I may not like that she has a boyfriend, but I have to at least show the decorum I've been taught to. Meaning treating her like she's diseased and keeping a good physical distance between us… I think this is negatively affecting our friendship…

So we reach security, and the scanner… and I almost give up, security systems hate me, not only that there's a line of over a dozen people… I hate lines.

And considering how lines are Tali is directly behind me… I sigh, I'm gonna be a weirdo the whole time… "So where's Jerus," I need a brain.

"He's working with Mordin on something and it seems like it'll take a while."

He's ignoring Tali?

"He's trying to show that he can pull his weight." Tali answers my unasked question.

"I didn't say anything." I was thinking it though.

"So what shops were you going to stop by," Tali asks.

"Figured I'd search for some armor, considering mine was shredded in an explosion." I'm answering truthfully I am going for some armor. "Maybe see if there are any guns I like."

"Wow so serious," Tali says trying to lighten the mood a bit… I'm answering like a bit of a robot…

I stop, "How about… as friends… we go get something to eat?" I ask her… I could make the whole trip awkward. "My treat, and considering I do have a Cerberus credit chit it can be on them." I smile, "Mission expenses… at the very least consider it hitting them in the wallet."

"Sure."

Oh god one word answer alert. The line moves up and I'm finally face to face with the c-sec officer. "Business or pleasure?" The human asks, he seems tired… or annoyed.

"Little of both," I answer. "Mostly business."

I hold my omni-tool forward and it downloads my personal information to him, wireless ID.

"Mr. Doe," he stops for a moment, "one moment sir."

Every. Single. Time.

"Apologies please pass through." He waves me by but I just step to the side and wait for Tali to be checked, and to shout if he should even mention vagrancy or suit-rat.

"Ma'am," The c-sec guy begins. "On your pilgrimage," he asks.

Tali is surprised, but only for a moment, "No I'm travelling." "Not many people know about pilgrimages."

He smiles up at her for a moment, "I'm a part of 'Places for Pilgrims' so whenever I get a Quarian coming through I tend to ask that then my next question is, do you need a place to stay?"

"No thank you I'll be returning to our ship after I'm done," she's smiling. Happy that someone looks out for her people… I love that about her, that even though she's getting nothing out of it… just because someone's there looking out for those he can…

"All right miss… Zorah you're all clear have a pleasant visit to the Citadel." He gives a genuine smile… I like the universe a bit more now.

"You as well," Tali smiles back and we walk through to the scanner together.

To my utter surprise I pass through pretty easily, well compared to past times… and one of the times I actually had a group of people hold guns on me. It seems that things might be getting better though the Salarian running the machine did look at me funny for a minute before waving me and Tali through.

"Wow that wasn't as bad as I was expecting I smile, we pass by Bailey and I wave for a moment and keep walking. He doesn't even really look up so…

We enter the wards and it's like I remember, though I was only hear a couple days ago. Not much can change on a large scale in a few days.

Now I'm here with Tali… and I've asked her out to eat… though I mean it only as a friend… Do I? I'd like to believe that I am but somewhere inside of me I'm wondering… is that really why?

I banish the thoughts from my mind, as they aren't serving any purpose other than distracting me. We walk past the Citadel souvenirs and I glance questioningly at Tali, "Wanna souvenir?"

"I don't see the point to them," Tali responds, oh yeah Quarians are a bit utilitarian.

"How about we go look at the ships then, or there's a tech store a floor down, or a gun store a floor up… I'm in no rush to get my shopping done…." I pause… "there's also a game stand upstairs…" I allow myself to fall back for a moment, remembering… fuzzy things… my two years here have affected the memories of my life before. Sometimes my life before feels like nothing but a dream… If it wasn't for the fact I have no memories of life here before the Owner's ship…

"Let's check the tech shop." Of course, "I want to see the new…" Ah Tali's techspeak that I can't understand… I've strangely enough missed it, speaking of all those little things, like a computer thing that regulates the temperature of the an eezo core with 143% efficiency compared to the old models used in the fleet and the necessary hardware needed to run it, a capacitor to store… I feel my eyelids getting heavy.

"Tali, I apologize for my lack of tech savvy-ness… oh look shuttles," I spot the shuttle dealership, though this is only a catalogue office with only simple models. "Want to browse through them?"

"Browse?"

"Er… look through to see without the intent to purchase…" I robotically answer. "Just looking."

"I wouldn't mind that." I know how Tali is when it comes to two things… ships and technology, she loves both.

We approach the counter and while the volus's head is pointed in Tali's direction he greets me, "Hello earth-clan." "I am Vorun Rad." He begins and ends his sentences with a ksh type sound, his respirator I think. "Welcome to Cision Motors." "Is there anything I can help you with?" Ksh… it's all I can think when he stops speaking.

"I'm just looking through at the moment," I answer. I glance down at the models of shuttles and I notice one with rough edges that… looks heavily armored… "What's that?" I ask, Tali has begun sifting through looking at beautiful sleek shuttles with precision handling and the like I pick the flying metal brick.

"It's a (sic) Torgug Morkah," he answers, "a Krogan designed and built ship made for krogan."

"Is it really armored?" I ask, he did say built for krogan by krogan.

"And armed, you need several permits (sic) to own it… in Citadel space." Oh boy shady deal voice.

"Armed with what?"

"Striker Grenade cannons mounted in the front or Graal auto-guns, murderous vehicle mounted versions of the shotguns used by krogan to hunt down threshers, excellent for dealing with infantry as well." He answers, "If you are interested I could get you some paper work…"

"I'm passing through for the moment but… I'll remember this place when I need a mobile assault vehicle." "I'm just curious how much would it be?"

"Fully armed and armored it could run you 312,000 credits." He answers, but a new customer takes his attention… if only I would've known about this sooner…

Wait, krogan designed assault vehicles on catalogue at the citadel?

"Tali you done looking?" I ask, glancing over at her and I swear if she wasn't wearing a helmet her face would be deformed against the glass looking at the models. I can't help but smile, and then I hear…

"Hey let me go!"

"Yes (sic) I'm sure that's her."

I turn and see the C-sec, the Volus and the Quarian… Lia'Vael if my memory serves me… the memory that is the clearest… of the events from mass effect… not my life. I shake it off and approach.

"Hey what's going on here?" I ask butting in.

"Sir, this is non of your business so keep walking." The C-sec guy answers… not really.

"No," I answer, "I want to know why you're harassing this woman."

"She stole my credit chit," the Volus answers.

"No I didn't," she argues.

"Do you have evidence? Does she have the chit on her?" I ask in quick succession, to both avatar's of stupidity.

"She probably just stashed it somewhere," The C-sec officer answers.

"I'm innocent!" She shouts.

"I know I felt her grab my chit," he huffs, "and you know what clan-less are like!"

And I lose it, I have a lot of pent up emotions and this is the perfect chance to vent them.

I step forward, "Sirs you seem to have misplaced your common sense and decency," I glare at both of them, "I would like to report those missing," I turn to the C-sec officer. "You're a Jackass." Then glance down at the Volus not lowering myself to his level, "You are a horribly racist ankle-biter." "I'll spend five seconds and see if I can solve this mystery." "Do not go anywhere, I'm on first name basis with the human councilor and I will get your ass fired, even if I have to go through C-sec officer by officer."

I storm off and run into the tech shop. I know that the chit was left there but I at least need confirmation before I continue. "Hey," I point and get the Salarians attention.

"Yes sir?" He asks surprised at the forcefulness and anger I'm still running on.

"Did a Volus leave a credit chit here?"

"Um, yes…" He responds.

"Thanks," and I run back to them.

I let loose on them. "You think she stole your chit because it would be the simplest thing to do, foist the blame on someone else when your really just an idiot who left his chit in a store," I gesture to the tech shop a short ways away. "Did you retrace your steps or immediately blame her?"

"She could've…"

"And you mister keeper of the peace, I'd like to know your name and badge number," (do badge number's exist in C-sec), "I want to report you for being a racist Jackass, you have no proof, you have the witness statement that won't measure up in any place with a shred of decency, now I can understand questioning her… but you're about to arrest her… simply because tiny here is whining."

"Do you want me to arrest you!" The C-sec officer breaks and shouts.

"For what? I'm talking, is it illegal to talk now?" I cross my arms in defiance.

They both glare at me, but I don't back down an inch, facing off with psychotic merc leaders, the boss of a powerful organization, and hell freaking Cthulu these guys don't even measure on my threat meter.

"Now leave the lady alone, you go get your chit from the shop," I point down at the Volus. "And you," I point at the C-sec, "how about more protecting and serving and less being racist." "Shoo."

They both glare at me but I puff out my chest and stand up to my full height. Both walk away with simultaneous, "Bah"s.

"Are you alright?" I turn to Lia'Vael. I'm assuming its Lia'Vael it's the name I remember. "I'm Will," I smile. By this point Tali walks over…

"I'm Lia'Vael," Nailed it. "Thank you for your help."

"Happy to help," I keep smiling, "Ms. Vael."

"Are you alright?" Tali asks.

"I'm ok, I'm… surviving, nutrient paste and I am sharing an apartment with a few Turians…" She's smiles a bit weakly but… there's a conviction, "but I am surviving."

"We were going to go get something to eat would you like to join us," Tali asks.

"My treat." I cut in, "More the merrier, I should be able to get us in anywhere." It is on Cerberus's dime, so…

"Anywhere?" Tali asks this like she has something from the past in mind. "There's this place I know."

"Sure but first I need to get my armor and guns."

The three of us head off together. I know very well that the Normandy is stocked to arm a platoon, but I want my own guns, my own armor, and my own gear.

Our first stop is armor… and the girls pick out a set of armor so thick it makes me feel huge.

"I feel giant," I say noticing the incredible bulk of the armor. "It'll limit my movement." I attempt to raise my hands, but I don't quite have the range of motion I used to.

"This suit is the, Colossus Defender series." The attendant tells me, "The strongest shields, armor plating and…"

I listen faintly, and I take it because Tali suggested it to protect me so… the rest of the shopping flies by and I have a great time… it reminds me of the time I wish I could take back… but can't, that time when the galaxy was just an adventure, when the two with me were those most important to me…

Things wind down and I scan my credit chit for the last time, and tell the shopkeeper the delivery destination… and we're off again, to Ryussei something sushi… not a fan of sea-food myself but Tali seems awfully skippy about going so…

I'll suck up my dislike for seafood. We catch a ride and hop in… I reflexively sit in the passenger seat, when both ladies look at me funny, "I don't drive." I have no legal license and my only experience in a shuttle was flying it away from the Owner's base.

Tali gets in the driver's seat. "I'll set the destination, the shuttle will take us there." I feel like an idiot for forgetting that feature… but as the ceiling whooshes down and Tali is sitting next to me…

"What happened to your arm," Lia'Vael from the back asks, breaking the suffocating silence. "If it's not too… personal…"

Tali seems to lean in a bit to hear… guess both of them want to hear the story… not that it's much of one. "I lost it," I can't.

"How?"

"Trusting someone I shouldn't have," I answer, "I trusted someone and they betrayed me and I spent months being tortured after it, improved even further, they took my arm, and gave me this…" I hold the Geth arm normally concealed into full view.

"How is it connected?"

"TIM… a scientist who looked at it told me the wires from it are intermingled with my nerve endings, with a degree of skill they've never seen, I can control the arm with my mind but… sometimes…" I think back to Haestrom the feeling the voices… the emotions… "Nothing." "I regret my trust and I'm a little more careful with it now… sometimes."

We arrive at the sushi place, and there's a line going around the brightly lit block. I mean seriously this place is active! Casino, bar, wait… is that an arcade? Wait… is that a combat simulator! "Wow."

"I know, it's amazing." Tali adds. We stand in line and pass the time with small talk Lia'Vael talks about her life before the pilgrimage, she and Tali share stories on their difficulties. We finally reach the front.

And the… what do you call 'em, guy who looks snooty and turns you away at the front. Spots us and his nose raised a few inches into the air. "May I help you?"

"A table for three please," I ask politely cause it's not until he's an ass that I freak out in his face.

"Do you have a reservation?" No… no we don't.

"No." I answer, I look back at the girls… and I could feel them bracing themselves.

"I'm sorry but…" and I'm about ready to do what it takes to get inside when he suddenly puts his hand to his ear and a smile comes across his face, "it seems we have had a… last minute cancellation, and there is a table open."

Yes… magic luck, I had that luck before… that luck let me get the last ticket to Star Wars Episode Three. "Thank you."

I could sense a squee factor behind me being suppressed but I have to admit even I was a bit excite this place was high end, I mean the floor to the roof is a giant fish tank… and I mean I am walking on a fish tank with a fish tank above my head.

"Nice."

We're escorted to our table one off in the back of the restaurant, with a good view of the rest of the place… I love these spots in restaurants… where no one should be able to directly see you but you can keep an eye on all of them.

"Got us in," I smile. We all look down at our menus and I immediately remember I hate seafood. Then again space seafood might be different… I order a soda and Tali and Lia both order their drinks Lia decides for Tali telling her she'd love it. Unfortunately… or fortunately depending on your point of view the drink may have had a slight alcoholic content… and well… Tali's a lightweight.

"Will… hic… I did not know this was alcoholic." This is gonna get good.

"Wait how are you drinking that?" I suddenly realize the question of Quarian drinks, whereas Lia pours a small amount into her… er… the glowy hole bit open… you know what I can't describe Quarian drinking practices… Tali however seems to be using… a straw. "Are you using a straw?"

"Emergency induction… hic port…"

"Basically a straw then."

And she's talk about the Normandy, "I like the old… hic, Normandy a bit more than, hic the new one."

"Really how can you be sure you've only been on it for about a day or so."

"I know," she answers, "hic, the old Normandy was like home…" she turns mournful for a second, "We were all friends…" She turns back, "this new one has the wrong logo on it and it's crawling with…" She glances at Lia, as if nervous for a moment… then leans over and whispers very loudly to me, "Sherberus." Loud enough people four tables over may have heard.

I let a small smile show through, a nervous one, to Lia. "A guy on our ship is a Sherberus, I mean Cerberus sympathizer." I try to explain.

"Thatsh right, Sherberus." Tali's head thunks down on the table.

"For once I'm happy that I can't get piss drunk." I laugh.

"Well you can't blame her, the drink is a bit stronger than most," Lia says taking another drink but not slurring her words in the slightest.

"Right," for a moment I'm uncomfortable, cause Tali's not likely to remember most of this…

"Sir your drink," a waiter suddenly appears.

"Thank you," I smile and take the drink. I take a sip, and smile again, "I can't really get drunk thanks to my body mods." "Sometimes I feel jealous of those who just… drink and forget for a moment."

"I wouldn't be sure that you would remember forgetting," Lia says, "I mean…"

"I get it," I answer, "I can understand that point." I lift my drink and I feel something slip for a moment, but I catch the drink. I set it down, "I must've used more energy than I thought shouting earlier." I laugh.

Then I feel my arm drop. I can't move it.

Then I feel the rest of my muscles relax and nothing is responding… except my geth arm, which I can and do start to move… then a short circuit hits it and I look up to see Lia'Vael holding her omni-tool out towards me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see everyone looking away… acting like nothing is happening.

Then a single person begins walking over a woman, correction… Asari. Not any asari… I felt a great new urge to move and I managed to twitch.

It's her.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the week late chapter I had an anniversary (so it's mainly my girlfriends fault), I got sick, I've been playing loads of video games... maybe I shouldn't have admitted that last part...**

**PS. If you don't know who 'Her' is... just stop reading.**


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